Summer sleep schedules for kids - the doctor weighs in

FOX 2 - Once school is out for the summer there's freedom. That sometimes to stay up late and sleep in — is that a good idea?

When summer break starts your kids want to be able to silence the early morning alarms. Can you just toss the sleep schedule out the window? Probably not.

Why you should care:

"Kids at different stages of their life may go to bed and wake up naturally at different times," said Dr. Brian Chen, Cleveland Clinic. "Younger kids generally wake up earlier. Older kids, teenagers, generally sleep in later. We all know that. But do they need a schedule? that really depends on what they have going on in the summertime."

Chen is a sleep specialist at Cleveland Clinic. He says if your child has sports or other activities this summer, it’s best to
keep their bedtime schedule consistent.

This way you know they’re well rested for the next day. If your child doesn’t have much going on, it’s okay to be a little more flexible.

However, it’s still important they’re getting enough sleep. How much varies based on the child’s age.

Chen also notes that the later you delay bedtime, the harder it’s going to be to adjust back during the school year.

But how much sleep is needed?  

Children 6 to 12 years old need about nine hours to 12 hours.

Teens 13 to 18 years old need about eight hours to 10 hours.

Keep in mind, sleep impacts behavior, emotional regulation, mental and physical health.

"We generally recommend shifting one hour, no faster than one hour earlier per week. And so, if their normal bedtime for school is 9 p.m., and in the summertime, they slip all the way down to 1 a.m., then you have four weeks," Chen said. "You have to start it a month before school starts. little by little, maybe just shifting up by like, 10 minutes a day. Tenb minutes is nothing, you know, everybody can go to bed 10 minutes earlier.

"Ten minutes a day and just keep it going for every single day for a month and you'll be perfectly fine."

Once school is out for the summer there's freedom. That sometimes to stay up late and sleep in -  is that a good idea?

When summer break starts your kids want to be able to silence the early morning alarms. Can you just toss the sleep schedule out the window? Probably not.
 
"Kids at different stages of their life may go to bed and wake up naturally at different times," said Dr. Brian Chen, Cleveland Clinic. "Younger kids generally wake up earlier. Older kids, teenagers, generally sleep in later. We all know that. But do they need a schedule? that really depends on what they have going on in the summertime."

Chen is a sleep specialist at Cleveland Clinic. He says if your child has sports or other activities this summer, it’s best to
keep their bedtime schedule consistent.

This way you know they’re well rested for the next day. If your child doesn’t have much going on, it’s okay to be a little more flexible.

However, it’s still important they’re getting enough sleep. How much varies based on the child’s age.

Chen also notes that the later you delay bedtime, the harder it’s going to be to adjust back during the school year.

But how much sleep is needed?  

Children 6 to 12 years old need about nine hours to 12 hours.

Teens 13 to 18 years old need about eight hours to 10 hours.

Keep in mind, sleep impacts behavior, emotional regulation, mental and physical health.

"We generally recommend shifting one hour, no faster than one hour earlier per week. And so, if their normal bedtime for school is 9 p.m., and in the summertime, they slip all the way down to 1 a.m., then you have four weeks," Chen said. "You have to start it a month before school starts. little by little, maybe just shifting up by like, 10 minutes a day. Tenb minutes is nothing, you know, everybody can go to bed 10 minutes earlier.

"Ten minutes a day and just keep it going for every single day for a month and you'll be perfectly fine."