Sleep helps children restore energy, stimulate physical development, regulate emotions, and strengthen memory and learning abilities. However, after summer vacation, many children develop habits of staying up late and waking up late. Suddenly returning to an early school schedule can easily lead to fatigue and difficulty concentrating.

Doctor of First Degree Specialist Nguyen Thi Hanh Trang, Deputy Head of Pediatrics Department at Tam Anh General Hospital, TP HCM, suggests ways to help children reset their biological clocks to sleep and wake on time, facilitating early adaptation to their school schedule upon returning to school.

Adjusting sleep and wake times

Parents should determine the time their child needs to wake up for school, then work backward to ensure sufficient sleep duration according to age. Children three to five years old need about 10-13 hours of sleep daily, children six to 12 years old should get 9-12 hours, and those 13-18 years old require 8-10 hours.

Doctor Trang examines a young girl. Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital

If a child is used to sleeping at 11 PM but needs to sleep around 9:30 PM for school, parents should avoid sudden changes. Instead, parents can set the clock for the child to sleep and wake up 10-15 minutes earlier each day or every one to two days, depending on the child's adaptability.

Doctor Trang advises parents to start adjustments one to two weeks before school begins and maintain a relatively consistent wake-up time throughout the week. Weekends can offer some flexibility, but children should not be allowed to "catch up" on sleep and wake up too late, as this can disrupt the newly established biological rhythm.

Increase light exposure and daytime physical activity

After waking up, parents should open curtains and windows to expose children to natural light and maintain a consistent wake-up time. Sunlight is the strongest signal that helps the brain stop producing melatonin (the sleep-inducing hormone), activating a state of alertness.

In addition, encourage children to engage in at least 30-60 minutes of physical activity daily through activities such as walking, running, cycling, or playing sports. Regular exercise helps release excess energy, improve physical fitness, and stimulate natural drowsiness in the evening. However, children should avoid strenuous physical games within two hours before bedtime.

Limit electronic device use 60 minutes before bedtime

Doctor Trang notes that blue light from phones, tablets, televisions, or video games can inhibit melatonin secretion, stimulating a child's nervous system. Therefore, parents should establish a rule to 'disconnect' all electronic devices 30-60 minutes before bedtime, allowing the body to relax and prepare for sleep.

Parents can guide children towards calming activities such as brushing their teeth, preparing schoolwork for the next day, reading a book, or talking with parents. Maintaining a consistent routine of these familiar activities before bedtime will 'signal' to the brain that it is time to rest.

According to Doctor Trang, if children continue to sleep late but must wake up early for school, sleep deprivation can persist throughout the initial weeks of the school year. Lack of sleep makes children struggle with concentration, become irritable, have difficulty controlling emotions, exhibit increased abnormal activity, or experience reduced immunity.

If a child consistently has difficulty sleeping, snores loudly, breathes through their mouth, frequently startles awake with paused breathing during sleep, or experiences prolonged fatigue despite adequate sleep, parents should take the child for a medical examination.

Minh Tam