Around the school is around the corner and nerves, excitement grow among children ... Throughout the holidays, schedules have been relaxed and although among the tips for going back to school is to sleep well It is precisely at this time when they find it harder to fall asleep. Looking back to school there are many nerves and little sleep, how can we help them?
And it happens to all of us, that postvacational syndrome that does not let us sleep well the days before returning to work also suffer many children who have to return to the classroom, dusting backpacks, cases, uniforms ... And although often There is a mixture of desire to see friends again and rejection for what the toughest tasks of the school entail, in what most children agree is in the nerves that prevent them from sleeping well.
If we do not remedy, what will happen is that the beginning will be more traumatic, that the children will go very tired to school and will not enjoy all the good that they would appreciate being rested. And is that school-age children need between nine and twelve hours of sleep (the youngest, between ten and 13), but of course, not at any time since school usually starts quite early ...
Then, the end of getting up without looking at the clock, which is one of the greatest pleasures on vacation, and also should go to bed without a clock. And, although it is not easy, you have to adjust schedules for the return to school and these days are ideal to achieve it, since there is still more than a week to start school in most communities.
Obviously, this transition should be done little by little and not go from getting up past 10 and going to bed at 11 at night for more than a month, to, the next day, get up at seven in the morning. Very hard for anyone, right? Let's see this and others tips for children to have a healthy sleep and less nerves for going back to school.
Sleep better for back to school
Gradually go to bedtime. Luckily, the daylight hours accompany and at the end of the summer are reduced, getting dark sooner and allowing the task of convincing them to go to bed to be easier.
Some "tricks" to make this work is to lie down before but to read them a story, or to read them, or to listen to relaxing music, make them a massage, breathing exercises ... In short, create the right climate for children to leave sideways nerves and calm down, starting a more restful sleep.
Exercising in the afternoon: playing a sport, playing outdoors, walking, cycling ... prepares the body for the necessary rest. Physical exercise reduces stress and it is related to a better dream (in addition, it is related to better school results).
Although the nap has many benefits, it may be time to shorten or suppress it so that children face the sleep of the night before. This, except for the little ones (for example, those who start school with three years), since it is still very necessary for them and, hopefully, in school they will still have time for the little ones to rest after the meal .
Take a full but light dinner, because if dinner is committed excesses, digestion will be slower and heavier, influencing the quality of sleep.
Drinking a glass of warm milk before bedtime can help children sleep better, or at least this is suggested by the experience of many people, although studies do not agree to confirm this point (whether with honey or without honey ...) The truth is that milk contains calcium, a natural sedative and also amino acids that help the production of serotonin, a substance that stimulates well-being and relaxation. The important thing is that this is done if it suits the child and, of course, if you brush your teeth well before going to bed.
Taking a relaxing bath of warm water before going to sleep is another of the "tricks" to make the nerves disappear, to stop thinking about the next day and prepare to rest more at ease.
Other foods that can help you fall asleep better are turkey, fruits such as bananas or cherries, apples ... and vegetables, potatoes, cereals ...
On the contrary, fruits rich in vitamin C such as orange or kiwi, beverages such as tea or coffee (with caffeine) or red meats and sausages rich in thyroxine, which would activate the dopamines that are the ones that make us awake. Energy drinks are also not recommended for children.
Another issue to avoid before bedtime is to watch TV, use your mobile phone, tablet or computer ... since the screens could alter the sleep of children, cause nightmares (even excessive use has been related to certain disorders such as somnambulism)…
Slowly get up when you get up. We have to adapt slowly to the time it will be usual for children to wake up when they go to school. Of course, hopefully we will not have to go too quickly at breakfast and dressing. By the way, we remember that a good breakfast is essential to go to school awake and happy. The Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition (SEEN) notes that leaving home without breakfast affects school performance and also favors childhood obesity.
All these tips will help children not sleep altered and have a better rest, since they need all the energy to face the return to school in the most positive way possible, without problems of sleep and happy because they finally see their friends, their teachers ... Surely they adapt before us to the hard return to the routine. Happy back to school!
