With schools now breaking up for summer holidays, how can you ensure children continue to get the rest they need amidst fun-packed days and hot weather? Dr David Lee of Sleep Unlimited offers some advice
As the summer approaches and we reach the ‘long holiday’ there are a few things that we can think about to help with our children’s sleep.
First up there’s the routine change – when in school, children are usually in a pretty solid routine to enable them to get up in time to get to school and then go to bed at the right time to get enough sleep for their age at night. So, during term-time, routines are easier to maintain than maybe they are in the holidays when the pressure to catch the school bus is off.
Sleep really likes a good routine, so when the schools break up, try to maintain that term-time routine as much as possible, then there’s less of an impact on the sleep of the child and they’ll continue to sleep in a similar way as they did during school time. This will also make the transition back to school in September easier as the routine will already be established and therefore not need to be changed back again.
Secondly, really look to try and get as much time out-of-doors as possible. Exposure to natural daylight promotes the production of melatonin in our brains and this natural neuro-hormone is sleep promoting.
Please do make sure to hydrate appropriately for the temperature of the day, wear sunscreen and look for shady, well-ventilated places to rest, especially during heatwaves.
Thirdly, getting a good wind-down routine going in the evening before bed can really help with promoting sleep initiation and maintenance. If any of us are overly aroused (either physiologically, or psychologically) then we will find it very difficult to get off to sleep and this is especially true for children.
So, look for low-level, relaxing activities to do in the two hours before bed – avoid anything stimulating like eating, exercise, hot baths, exciting media etc.
Then get a consistent routine going and try to stick to it every night, for example: tepid / warm bath, get pyjamas on, brush teeth, read story, get tucked in, lights out.
Finally, it is worth considering the use of screens: with more time available during the holidays, many children will be getting longer exposure to screened devices than during term time. Research has shown us that excessive use of screens by children and adolescents can lead to significant problems with mood, mental health and sleep.
Recommendations suggest that extending the use of screens during the day beyond two hours may start to become problematic, but very high users of technology (i.e. those using devices for more than six hours per day) are much more susceptible to experiencing both mental health and sleep problems.
Summer is coming and, at the time of writing, the heat is rising, so please have lots of fun with your children this summer, stay safe and enjoy the weather.
Please remember that bright natural daylight can be a real boost for our sleep, its easy to access and free of charge – just beware the sunburn!
Read more in “Teaching the World to Sleep” by Dr David R Lee. 2017. Routledge, London.
- Dr David R Lee, BSc PhD CertEd CPsychol AFBPsS CSci, is clinical director at Sleep Unlimited Ltd.
