Children’s late summer sleep patterns disrupt school performance, experts warn

As families transition back to school routines, sleep difficulties stemming from late summer habits can impair children’s attention, behaviour, and mood. Experts recommend gradual adjustments and mindful routines to reset sleep patterns for better academic outcomes.

As families settle into the new school term, many are discovering that the hardest adjustment is not uniforms or timetables but sleep. According to child neurology specialist Afshin Dezhakam, children who spent the summer going to bed late and waking late can struggle badly when school starts again, with the effects showing up not just as tiredness but as inattention, forgetfulness, morning irritability and changes in behaviour.

Dezhakam said the problem is often misunderstood because sleep loss in children does not always look like drowsiness. Some children become restless, impatient or unusually energetic, which can leave parents assuming the issue is stubbornness rather than fatigue. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says regular sleep of the recommended length is linked with better attention, behaviour, learning and memory, underlining how closely sleep and school performance are connected.

Age matters, too. Dezhakam noted that children aged six to 12 generally need nine to 12 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period, while teenagers typically need eight to 10 hours. Younger children need even more. That is broadly in line with medical guidance that says teenagers’ biological clocks naturally shift later during puberty, making early nights and early starts harder to manage.

Screen use is one of the biggest barriers to winding down. Dezhakam said phones, tablets, televisions and computers can push bedtime later without families realising it, especially when children keep watching short videos or playing games and say “one more” repeatedly. Research funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has found that bedtime media use is linked with less sleep in children who have more difficulty controlling impulses, while broader reviews have found screen time is commonly associated with shorter sleep and later bedtimes.

The advice for families is gradual rather than dramatic. Dezhakam said shifting bedtime and wake time a little earlier every few days is usually more effective than forcing an abrupt change the night before school. Morning daylight, regular exercise, less evening stimulation and a predictable routine of dinner, bath, reading and bed can all help reset the body clock. Screens should be turned off at least an hour before sleep, and devices should not be kept in the bedroom.

Parents should also watch for signs that point to something more than late nights. If a child is sleeping enough but still struggles to wake, snores loudly, stops breathing during sleep or seems exhausted during the day, Dezhakam said a medical assessment is needed. Poor sleep is also known to affect mood, focus and learning, and in children with conditions such as ADHD or autism, sleep problems are especially common.

The broader message for families is simple: a good school day begins the night before. A steady bedtime routine, not punishment, is what helps children make the switch from summer freedom to term-time discipline.