Guest Post by: Get Moore Sleep
My first guest blogger, Maggie Moore from Get Moore Sleep is bringing you some GREAT information about the upcoming summer months, or any time your kids are on a break from their normal routine. Maggie give us 3 ways to keep your child’s sleep schedule. I am a HUGE advocate of sleep schedules, and think they can be so helpful in assuring everyone’s sanity, regardless of what your school schedule looks like! Maggie is from Get Moore Sleep. She is a Pediatric Sleep Consultant and Sleep Schedule Expert that has just the advice you need to make sure that even with all the camps, vacations, and impromptu activities, your little’s sleep habit doesn’t get disrupted. Don’t have sleep habits? She has advice on that too! Help me give Maggie a big welcome to SLPW!! You can also follow her on Instagram @getmooresleep and Facebook.
Rejoice! School is out for summer! Every school-age child around is celebrating this time of year because it can mean trips to the zoo, splash park, vacations, s’mores and staying up later. But what do we do if all the summer fun leaves us hung-over, over-tired and dreading the thought of trying to get back on a school schedule when fall rolls around?
Don’t fret! I am here to provide you with the three ways to stay on schedule all summer long!
GIVE ME A R-O-U-T-I-N-E
How many times have you heard someone say, “Children thrive on routines”? That’s because it’s true! A 2015 study at the Sleep Center at the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia looked at over 10,000 children around the world and how sleep outcomes were impacted by the establishment of a consistent bedtime routine. The aim of the study was to examine and assess whether there is a dose-dependent relationship between the frequency of consistent bedtime routines with sleep outcomes.
The results showed that a consistent bedtime routine was associated with better sleep outcomes, including earlier bedtimes, shorter sleep onset latency, reduced night waking’s and increased sleep durations. The correlation being made that having a regular nightly bedtime routine is associated with improved sleep in young children.
Summertime often means later nights spent outside playing with friends, cook outs and catching fire-flies. It can also mean a rushed and less consistent bedtime routine which, as we see above, can have a negative impact on sleep. As frequently as possible it is important to keep the bedtime routine, along with a consistent bed time, fully intact all summer long. The pay-off for doing this will become apparent when the new school year rolls around.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T YOUR CHILDS NEED FOR SLEEP
Most school aged children require 10 to 12 hours of sleep a night. Reut Gruber, a psychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University, looked at the way sleep affects the many aspects of academic performance. In a group of 7 to 11-year-olds who did not have sleep, behavioral or academic problems, the children were asked to change their sleep patterns to sleep either one hour less, or one hour more per night. After five days with less sleep, the study found there was a measurable deterioration in alertness and emotional regulations. After five days with more sleep, there were gains in these same areas.
Imagine 6+ weeks of your child getting less sleep than their little body needs. I speak frequently about “sleep debt,” meaning children who need 12+ hours of sleep a night, but over time are getting only 10 hours, thus creating a significant sleep defect. These children become chronically over-tired which means they have a harder time falling asleep, staying asleep and will wake up earlier in the morning. Now factor in what Gruber says about less sleep impacting their alertness and emotional regulation and there we have a recipe for a long summer; not to mention an even rockier start back to school.
Continue to respect your child’s need for sleep. Most school-aged children require at least 10 hours of sleep a night, but thrive on 12.
PRACTICE THE 80/20 RULE
It probably sounds like I am putting quite a damper on your summer plans, doesn’t it? As with anything in life – everything in moderation and things will be fine. I frequently tell my clients, if 80% of the time we are nailing bedtime and respecting our child’s sleep needs, while missing it just 20% of the time we due to vacation, a late cook-out, etc., there will be minimal disruption to your child’s sleep habits.
However, it does not work in reverse. If we are off routine 80% off the time and only nailing bedtime the other 20%, it is a recipe for disaster!
Sleep needs for school-aged children are still high; not respecting those needs may cause any number of the previously mentioned problems. Although every day may seem like groundhog’s day to parents, children thrive on structure and routine. By giving them this environment, we are setting them up for success.
Respecting your child’s need to sleep can help you avoid bedtime battles, fragmented sleep and early rising. Just as you wouldn’t rob them of their nutritional needs, don’t rob them of the restorative sleep they need to grow and learn!
About Maggie
Maggie Moore is the Founder and Head Sleeper at Moore Sleep. She is a certified pediatric sleep consultant through the Family Sleep Institute, which means her sole focus and objective is getting your baby on a healthy sleep schedule so the whole family can get the sleep they need.
Like many parents, Maggie and her husband struggled with getting their son on a healthy sleep schedule and he was unable to fall asleep independently. As a result, her family was losing precious sleep every night.
Maggie became a firm believer when, shortly after hiring a certified pediatric sleep consultant, her son began sleeping independently at bed and nap times. It was a turning point that resulted in not only restful nights, but waking up fully rested with the energy to face the day. Maggie knew right away she wanted to become a certified consultant herself so she could help other families struggling to get the sleep they need.
Maggie and her family reside in Southern Indiana (near Louisville, KY). She received her bachelors in Journalism and a second concentration in Communications & Culture from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN.
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