As children adjust from summer routines to school schedules, sleep challenges are emerging due to biological clocks, screen time, and caffeine consumption. Dr. Barry Ramo explained that kids often stay up later and sleep in during summer, but when school starts, they are not ready for early alarms and go to school sleepy because their biological clocks have not reset.

Sleep Recommendations

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children ages 6 to 12 get 9 to 12 hours of sleep each night, while teens should aim for 8 to 10 hours. “Less sleep is considered to be unhealthy,” Ramo said. Screen time is a significant factor affecting sleep. “The bright light from screens can suppress melatonin production,” Ramo said. Melatonin is the hormone that signals the body that darkness has arrived and makes sleep easier.

A 2024 study found that children who used screens after getting into bed, particularly for gaming or engaging in multiple activities at once, fell asleep later and slept less. Ramo also advised parents to be mindful of their children’s beverage choices later in the day. “Drinks that they’re getting later in the day because they may contain caffeine like colas, iced tea, coffee drinks and energy drinks can also delay sleep,” he said.

Original reporting: KOAT Albuquerque — read the source article.