Sleeping for Success

The start of the school year is often exhausting – fitting into new routines, having new teachers and new classmates can take its toll.

Now, more than ever, ensuring we get enough sleep is important.

While getting enough sleep is typically a focus for teenagers and adults, careful consideration of how much sleep primary-aged children are getting ensures we are helping them grow, learn and succeed today, and setting up healthy habits for the future.

Not enough good quality sleep can impact our children in many ways, including:

- Behaviour problems – either being overactive or overly sleepy

- Poor memory

- Trouble concentrating or understanding instructions

- Irritability and anger

- Poor mental health, including depression and anxiety.

On the other hand, when your child sleeps well, your child will be settled, happy and ready for school. Plus, good quality sleep strengthens your child’s immune system and reduces the risk of infection and illness.

Sleep: what to expect for 5-11 year olds

At 5-11 years, children need 9-11 hours of good quality sleep a night. If your child needs to be awake at 6:30, this would mean being in bed by 8pm. While some children fall asleep very quickly when they go to bed, others can take 20-30 minutes. Keeping this in mind when we plan bedtimes and bedtime routines is important.

Helping children sleep well

A good night’s sleep is about getting to sleep, staying asleep and getting enough good-quality sleep. Here are ideas that can help your child get the sleep they need.

- Bed time routine: Bedtime routines are just for babies. It helps primary-aged children wind down from the day. A child who normally goes to bed at 7:30pm might have a bedtime routine that starts at 6:45 before lights out at 7:30.

- Relaxing before bed: Playing gentle music, reading together or having a bath can help your child calm their mind, and reduce restless nights and bad dreams.

- Turn computers, tablets and TV off an hour before bedtime to encourage rest and avoid over-stimulation.

- Ensure their bedroom is quiet and dimly lit to encourage sleep.

- Ensure your child is getting plenty of natural light during the day, especially in the morning.