Managing a Sleep Routine for Academic Success
Sleep shapes how children learn, focus, and manage emotions. How to rebuild a healthy bedtime routine after summer — and why screens make it harder.
Written by Sabrina Kalontarov, MHC-LP
We have all heard the phrase that getting our eight hours of sleep leads to the road of success! As much as this is true for adults, it is extremely important for children as well. Unfortunately, with technology and phones at such easy access, establishing a sleep routine after summer break can be a bit challenging. Approximately 35% of children in the United States do not get the recommended amount of sleep for their age (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2024). Sleep isn’t just about preventing fatigue; it plays a vital role in a child’s ability to learn, regulate emotions, solve problems, and succeed both inside and outside the classroom.
Sleep Helps Children Regulate Their Emotions
Have you ever noticed your child becoming more emotional after a late night? Maybe they’re quicker to cry. More irritable. Less patient. Or more easily overwhelmed. That’s because sleep plays a major role in emotional regulation.
When children are sleep-deprived, it’s harder for the brain to manage stress, frustration, and disappointment. The American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes that healthy sleep is essential for children’s physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being (HealthyChildren.org, 2024). In other words, a well-rested brain is better equipped to handle the challenges that come with school, friendships, and everyday life.
Sleep Affects How Children Learn
Believe it or not, sleep deprivation affects how a child retains information. When we sleep, our brain organizes and strengthens the information that we learned and processed in the day. Think of it as your child’s brain filing away important information.
Without enough sleep, children may have more difficulty:
Paying attention in class
Remembering new information
Solving problems
Following directions
Completing schoolwork
Sometimes parents worry their child simply “isn’t trying.” In reality, their brain may be working much harder simply because it’s running on too little sleep.
Limit Screen Time Before Bed
This is one of the biggest challenges for many families today. Phones, tablets, video games, and television stimulate the brain when we’re actually trying to help it wind down.
The blue light emitted from electronic devices can suppress melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate sleep, making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2024). Rather than focusing on taking screens away as a punishment, try creating a family routine where everyone puts devices away before bedtime.
Children often follow what they see more than what they’re told.
Gentle Reminder
Sleep is one of the simplest ways we can support our children’s mental health, yet it’s also one of the easiest things to overlook when life gets busy. If bedtime has been a struggle, don’t focus on changing everything overnight. Start with one small change, stay consistent, and allow those healthy habits to grow over time. Small routines often lead to meaningful change.
Sources
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2024). Healthy sleep habits: How many hours does your child need? HealthyChildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/sleep/Pages/default.aspx
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2024). School success starts with sleep. HealthyChildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Sleep and health. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep
Owens, J. A. (2014). Insufficient sleep in adolescents and young adults: An update on causes and consequences. Pediatrics, 134(3), e921–e932. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-1696
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