As the new school year approaches, ensuring a consistent sleep schedule for school-aged children is increasingly important. A recent survey by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) highlights several factors that disrupt children's sleep, revealing that 50% of parents blame video games and 44% cite social media for negatively affecting their children's sleep schedules.
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The survey also identified homework (34%) and extracurricular activities (28%) as additional factors causing sleep disruptions. These findings underscore the challenges parents face when trying to establish a healthy sleep routine for their children as school begins.
Dr. Anne Marie Morse, a pediatric sleep physician and AASM spokesperson, emphasized the importance of sleep. "Getting enough sleep is just as crucial as nutrition and exercise when it comes to a child's overall health and well-being. When a child achieves healthy sleep, they're more likely to look, feel, and act their best, which allows them to stay focused and alert in the classroom, on the field, and in their extracurricular activities," she said.
In recognition of the 4th annual Student Sleep Health Week from September 11-15, the AASM is raising awareness about the significance of healthy sleep for students. To help students mitigate sleep disruptors, the AASM provides several recommendations:
1. Avoid caffeine after school, as it can hinder the ability to fall asleep.
2. Limit screen time before bed by encouraging children to disconnect from electronic devices at least 30 minutes to an hour prior to sleep.
3. Keep electronics in a different room to reduce temptation, and use an alarm clock instead of a phone.
4. Establish a calming nighttime routine that could include journaling, reading, or taking a warm bath.
5. Maintain a quiet and cool bedroom environment to promote better sleep.
The AASM advises that children aged 6-12 should aim for 9 to 12 hours of sleep each night, while teenagers aged 13-18 should strive for 8 to 10 hours. Parents can utilize the AASM’s Online Bedtime Calculator to help determine appropriate bedtimes while considering potential sleep disruptors.
Details about the survey indicate it was conducted with 2,005 adults across the U.S., with a margin of error of +/- 2 percentage points and a confidence interval of 95 percent. The survey period was from March 24 to 29, 2023, with Atomik Research conducting the study.
Founded in 1975, the AASM works to enhance sleep health and improve lives through advancing sleep care. The organization comprises 12,000 accredited sleep centers and professionals dedicated to sleep medicine.