Summer
School is out! Prepare yourself for the late-night video
games, midnight movie marathons, missed curfews
and grumpy, sleep-deprived offspring. The National
Sleep Foundation recommends that children ages 6–13
get nine to 11 hours and teens ages 14–17 get eight to
10 hours of sleep each night. Try these tips for making
sure your child gets a full night's rest.
Summer
SLUMBER
Morning light:
Tells your child's
body it's time to
wake up.
Twilight: As the sun sets,
your child's brain releases
melatonin, naturally
preparing the body
for sleep.
LIGHT: KEEP OUT
Days are longer in the summer. Make sure your child's
room has efficient blinds or drapes.
1
1
hour
Have a gadget-free
policy for the last hour
before bed.
The optimal sleep
temperature is around
65 degrees Fahrenheit.
So make sure your child's
room is cool.
The human body's core
temperature lowers at
night. A cold environment
will allow the body to reach
these lower temperatures
more easily.
Don't forget sunscreen! Sunburn can
keep kids tossing and turning all night.
STAY ON SCHEDULE
School may no longer be a motivator to get
up and go to bed at the same times, but sleep
comes easier when the body is on a regular
sleep-wake schedule. Make sure kids go to bed
and wake up at about the same time each day.
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2
2
A DIGITAL GENERATION
3
4
3
STAY COOL
4
It's no secret that kids
love their devices, but the
blue light these devices
produce can negatively
affect sleep patterns.
72 percent
of children over the age
of 6 have at least one
electronic device in their
rooms while sleeping.
5
summer 2017 / tgh.org
