We all love summer with its long days, warm weather and memorable vacations. Many families enjoy the more carefree days and not having to stick to a strict routine. One of the drawbacks, though, is that children’s sleep schedules are often disrupted. Jacksonville Sleep Center, a sleep specialist in Jacksonville, suggests the following tips to keep your child’s sleep schedule on track this summer.
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Don’t stray too far from your child’s usual bedtime and waking time.
While it’s typically ok to be a bit more lenient with bedtime in the summer, going too far off schedule can leave your child feeling tired and cranky. Changing sleep times too drastically can affect their circadian rhythm and prevent them from getting a restful night’s sleep. It can also make adjusting to the back to school schedule that much more unbearable come fall.
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Keep your child’s bedtime ritual consistent.
Any sleep specialist in Jacksonville will tell you about the importance of practicing a regular, consistent routine each night. To maintain your child’s good sleep habits from the school year, try to keep the same bedtime ritual. For example, if getting ready for bed normally means taking a bath, brushing teeth, and then reading a story, stick with that routine throughout the summer as closely as possible.
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For younger children, don’t neglect nap time.
It can be difficult to keep your little one’s naps on schedule when you’re out and about enjoying summer activities, but it can go a long way in keeping young children well-rested and happy.
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Keep your child’s room dark and cool in the summer.
The warmer temperatures and extended daylight hours of summer can make sleeping difficult. By keeping your child’s room dark with the use of blackout shades or drapes, you can encourage them to go to bed earlier and sleep later. It’s also important to keep their room cooler so that their core temperature drops enough to promote sleep. A Jacksonville sleep specialist can provide you with more tips on creating an optimal sleeping environment for your children.
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Don’t let teens sleep the day away.
It’s ok for teens to stay up a little later and sleep in longer than usual. What you don’t want, however, is for them to sleep until lunchtime every day. Waking up by 9 or 10 am is usually fine. You can try to keep them on more of a schedule by enrolling them in camps and activities that require them to be someplace at a specific time. Keeping teens on a modified routine can help prevent moodiness and make it easier to adjust to going back to school.
Following these easy tips should help keep your kids happy and well-rested, making for a more enjoyable summer for everyone! For more information, visit our Healthy Sleep Tips page and learn how to set and maintain a healthy sleep schedule, or visit a sleep specialist in Jacksonville.
