As the new school year approaches, Cleveland Clinic sleep specialist Dr. Brian Chen emphasises the importance of gradually adjusting children’s bedtimes to promote better sleep, mood, and focus among students.
As the new school year approaches, Cleveland Clinic sleep specialist Brian Chen says parents should start easing children back towards earlier bedtimes rather than waiting until the night before classes begin. The aim, he says, is to avoid a sharp change that can leave children tired, irritable and less able to concentrate once school starts.
Chen recommends working backwards from the time a child needs to wake up, then calculating how much sleep that child actually needs. For a child who needs about 9 hours of sleep and must be up at 7 a.m., bedtime should be around 10 p.m. If summer schedules have drifted late, he advises shifting bedtime earlier in small steps, often by about an hour a week, or even by 10 minutes a day over several weeks.
A steady wind-down routine also matters. Chen says parents should reduce screen time, dim lights and avoid heavy meals or vigorous exercise in the last couple of hours before bed. He has also suggested adding quiet habits such as reading or taking a bath to help children settle.
The Cleveland Clinic has said this kind of gradual reset can help protect more than school performance. Good sleep also affects mood, behaviour, energy and immune function. In earlier guidance, Chen has warned that major summer bedtime delays can take weeks or even months to undo, which is why consistency is often more effective than a last-minute overhaul.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
