Children’s sleep routines need early adjustment to prevent school-year disruptions

As children return to school, experts advise parents to start shifting bedtimes weeks in advance to avoid behavioural issues, concentration problems, and long-term health impacts caused by sleep loss.

The start of the school year can upend a child’s sleep within days, as wake-up times move earlier while bedtimes often stay the same. In the Romanian health article published by HotNews, paediatrician Genoveva Hiastru warns that a child who slept for around 10 hours during the holidays can quickly drop to seven or eight hours once classes resume, even though children aged nine need roughly nine to 11 hours a night.

The result is not always simple morning tiredness. Hiastru says sleep loss in children can show up as irritability, sudden tantrums, low frustration tolerance, tearfulness and hyperactive behaviour, along with trouble getting out of bed and, in some cases, dozing off on the way to school. Cleveland Clinic says inadequate sleep can also affect mood, concentration and classroom performance, while long-term sleep deprivation may weaken learning and physical health.

Other paediatric sleep specialists give similar advice: do not wait until the first school bell to fix the routine. Children’s Health recommends starting at least one to two weeks before school begins, moving bedtime earlier in small steps and waking children at a consistent hour each day. Cleveland Clinic suggests shifting bedtime by 15 minutes every two to three days, while Johns Hopkins and Beacon Health System advise a gradual approach of around 15 minutes every few days.

Experts also stress that the quality of sleep matters as much as the number of hours. Beacon Health System recommends cutting screen time at least an hour before bed and keeping bedrooms cool, dark and quiet, while Aspirus Health says a predictable evening routine can support brain development, behaviour, growth and immunity. For parents, the message is straightforward: the best way to avoid a rough start to term is to restore the school sleep schedule before school starts, not after problems appear.