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Spectrum Health Offers Advice for Resetting School Sleep Habits

No more staying up late and sleeping the mornings away, kids. School is about to start.

Good sleep habits tend to take a summer vacation when school is out. As summer winds down, pediatric sleep medicine experts at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, a member of Spectrum Health, have advice about resuming a normal routine.

“It’s natural to be flexible with bedtimes in the summer,” said John Schuen, MD, division chief, pulmonary and sleep medicine, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital and Spectrum Health Medical Group. “These last few weeks are when children should gradually transition to a more normal sleep pattern. The day before school begins is not the time to start a new routine of going to bed and getting up early.”

Dr. Schuen offers these tips:

• Steadily adjust to earlier sleep and wake schedules 10 days to two weeks before school starts. This will adjust biological clocks to the new schedule.
• Establish a relaxing bedtime routine. Reading before bed is a good choice for kids of all ages.
• Create a sleep environment that is cool, quiet, dimly lit and comfortable.
• Keep television, video games and other electronics out of the bedroom. Avoid using them within one hour of bedtime.
• Eliminate or reduce caffeine.
• Eat well. It is important to avoid big meals right before bed. This will make it difficult to fall asleep and could aggravate underlying medical conditions like gastroesophageal reflux, more commonly known as reflux, heartburn or GERD.
• Increase activity. Exercise and regular physical activity during the day has been shown to improve sleep at night. This is a win-win for both day and night. Children will have more energy during the day as well. 
• Even on weekends, keep a regular sleep schedule and avoid extremes. Having a regular bedtime every day increases the likelihood that kids, including teens, will get optimal sleep.

Dr. Schuen urges parents who want their children to have a good school year to pay attention to these sleep tips.

“Sleep is such an important element in a child’s success in school,” said Schuen. “Just like with adults, lack of sleep can affect a child’s ability to concentrate, their mood and overall attitude. Children ages five to 12 need at least 10 hours of sleep a night. Making sleep a priority may be challenging but is well worth the effort for families.”

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system in West Michigan offering a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, which is comprised of nine hospitals including Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, a state of the art children’s hospital that opened in January 2011, and 190 service sites; the Spectrum Health Medical Group and West Michigan Heart, physician groups totaling more than 700 providers; and Priority Health, a health plan with 600,000 members. Spectrum Health is West Michigan’s largest employer with more than 18,000 employees. The organization provided $176.5 million in community benefit during its 2011 fiscal year.