Gradual approach helps children reset sleep routines before school

Experts recommend small, consistent adjustments to children’s sleep patterns to ease the transition back to school, emphasising gradual changes and establishing calming bedtime routines.

As summer gives way to the school term, parents often find that bedtimes have drifted later, wake-ups have become more relaxed and the whole household is out of rhythm. Akron Children’s says that getting children back on a steadier sleep pattern does not have to be abrupt. Kacey Greening, a paediatric psychologist and behavioural sleep medicine specialist at the hospital, recommends starting early and making small changes that are easier for children to accept.

Greening’s first suggestion is for parents to model the behaviour they want to see. “Kids copy what their parents do,” she said. “If kids see their parents winding down for the night, it’ll be easier for your children to do the same.” The hospital advises easing children back towards school-night bedtimes 15 minutes at a time, beginning a week or two before classes resume, rather than trying to force an overnight reset.

That advice broadly matches guidance from the Sleep Foundation, the National Sleep Foundation and UCLA Health, all of which recommend gradual changes and a predictable routine before the first day of school. Cleveland Clinic has also advised parents to start the transition early to avoid sleep deprivation, which can leave children tired, less focused and less ready to learn. Across those sources, the common thread is consistency: set realistic targets, move bedtime and wake time in manageable steps and avoid turning the return to school into a single, stressful leap.

Akron Children’s also points to the practical habits that can make or break a child’s sleep. Greening said caffeine should be limited, especially after lunch, because it can linger for hours and interfere with both sleep quality and duration. The hospital recommends checking labels on soft drinks, since some varieties contain caffeine, and steering children towards water or plain low-fat milk instead. It also advises switching off screens at least an hour before bed, because the light and stimulation from phones, tablets, televisions and games can make it harder to settle.

Food, routine and the sleep environment matter too. A light bedtime snack, such as fruit, string cheese or whole-grain cereal, is fine, but sugary treats are best avoided. Akron Children’s suggests a calming routine that stays largely the same each night, with only limited flexibility at weekends. Parents are also urged to keep the bedroom cool, dark and quiet, to avoid late afternoon naps and to let children drift off on their own rather than relying on constant parental presence at sleep time. For families trying to restore order after the holidays, the message is simple: small, steady adjustments can make the first weeks of school easier for everyone.