LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – As kids get used to new schedules, the University of Michigan Health Department is warning about the risks of sleep deprivation.
Doctors recommend nine to 12 hours of sleep per night for young children and eight to 10 hours for teenagers.
Many studies have also found that more screen time can lead to poorer quality sleep in children and teens, and a health psychologist at the University of Michigan says there are some strategies you can use to improve your child's sleep.
“First, establish a bedtime routine that doesn't rely on screens, meaning finding something that helps your child or teen relax before bed. Second, I think you need to consider their daytime schedule — are they getting enough exercise, enough light, and setting themselves up for a good night's sleep? And third, think about a seven-day sleep schedule, not just the school day — a seven-day schedule where bedtime and wake-up times don't differ by more than an hour, or at most two hours, between school days and weekends,” said pediatric psychologist Dawn Dore Stitz.
Some things to consider include listening to music, using calming apps, reading books that your child doesn't need to see or that have pages they can touch.
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