While everyone is a little different, the rule of the thumb is that those between 5-9 years old need 10-11 hours of sleep per night, and those between 10-18 years old need 8½-9½ hours of sleep per night. [3] X Research source
Depending upon how quickly you fall asleep, you may need to go to bed earlier than the time you calculated. If it takes you a ½ hour to fall asleep, and you’ve determined you need to be asleep at 9:30 p. m. , then you should be in bed at 9 p. m.
Depending upon how late you’ve been staying up, this method may take several weeks to accomplish to get to your desired bedtime, so plan ahead. If you don’t plan ahead, you’ll need to speed up the process. Try moving your bedtime back by 1-2 hours every 1-2 days and waking up 1-2 hours early on these days, too. It could be rough going at first but likely less so than making the change in one day, especially on the first day of school when you might already be nervous and have trouble sleeping. Stick to the plan on weekends, or the one, if you’ve only given yourself a week to complete the process. If you don’t stay on your sleep schedule during the weekend, it throws off your circadian rhythm, making Monday morning a literal drag. [5] X Research source
Studies have shown that breakfast helps wake you up and gives you more energy. Eating in the morning provides your body with glucose, the source of energy for your whole body, so it’s not surprising if you often feel lethargic when you first awaken. And why breakfast will help pep you up – you are, after all, breaking your overnight fast. Research also shows that eating carbohydrate-rich cereals improves your mood, which can only help in gearing up for school.
Make sure you finish the job. For instance, if you normally style your hair and wear makeup to school, do your hair and makeup during this period of readjustment, too. Also work toward getting it all done in the same amount of time that you have allotted for getting ready once school starts. If you get in the habit now, you won’t feel so rushed later.
You could go to the library. This could serve the dual purpose of also helping you freshen up on your Algebra, for instance, or catch up on your summer reading. Go to a friend’s house who is also re-establishing his/her morning routine. Together you can set off for the day to go to the park, see a movie, go the mall and so forth. Sign up for a morning class in your community. Many local art centers, YMCAs, churches and parks departments offer a variety of classes throughout the summer for students to take during breaks.
If you’ve been consuming a lot of fast food during those lazy summer nights, get back to eating nutritious, well-balanced meals. Healthy foods aren’t just better for your body. They also boost brain power. [6] X Research source To determine what time you will be eating dinner, you’ll need to sit down and figure out your evening schedule, looking at things like a) after-school activities, b) how much homework you think you’ll have, c) how much time you’ll spend preparing for bed, d) how much free time you’d like, e) what time you need to go to bed and f) what the rest of your household’s schedule looks like.
You could also work on things like Sudoku puzzles, crossword puzzles, children’s workbooks, flash cards – anything to kick-start returning to an evening routine that includes studying and homework. Try to get your schedule and do activities related to your schedule, like finding online Geometry problems. It will actually be more like homework than reading and puzzles, and will also improve your grades for school.
This is also a good time to get back into the habit of or create the habit of laying out your clothes for the morning. Doing this will make you feel less rushed in the morning and less stressed overall, especially if you are very particular about what you wear. Sticking to a regular routine at night will help you sleep better, because your body will understand that you’re preparing for bed. [7] X Expert Source Jessica Elliott, ACC, CECCertified Executive Coach Expert Interview. 7 October 2021.
You might do this by taking a hot shower or bath. When you get out, your core body temperature drops, which is a signal to your brain to produce melatonin, your body’s natural sleep hormone. [8] X Research source [9] X Research source You might also include a routine like stretching or meditating before bed. [10] X Expert Source Jessica Elliott, ACC, CECCertified Executive Coach Expert Interview. 7 October 2021. Other ways to prepare for sleep are by putting away the electronic gadgets and gaming systems and, instead, reading a book, or listening to classical or relaxing music.
This may seem like a really long time, but that’s how long it takes for caffeine to leave your bloodstream. [11] X Research source
On the flip side, exercising regularly promotes good sleep. The precise mechanism between regular exercise and sleep is still uncertain, but numerous studies on various populations have shown that it works. [13] X Research source
Here’s how it works. These devices emit a type of blue light that mimics natural light, thereby suppressing melatonin levels. When this occurs, your brain tells your body it’s not time to sleep; it disrupts your circadian rhythm. [14] X Research source [15] X Research source TVs also emit this light, but the problem is amplified with cell phones, laptops and tablets because they are closer to your face.
You might also want to dim the lights during those 30-45 minutes that you are powering down before bedtime as a cue to your brain that it’s almost time to go to sleep. If you live with a roommate or there are lights that you just can’t avoid, try wearing an eye mask to block out the light.
Conversely, hunger can also disrupt sleep. So if you find yourself really hungry before bed, stick to snacking on things like oatmeal, bananas, cereal and milk, yogurt, raw veggies or some popcorn. [19] X Research source
Lay out your clothes, shoes and accessories where you will put them on – whether that be in the bathroom after you shower or in your bedroom. Have your backpack, gym clothes and musical instrument, if you have one, by the door, ready to go.
If you have an extremely hard time waking up, consider putting it across the room so you have to get out of bed to turn it off. [20] X Research source
Buy different types of alarms, so the buzzers sound differently and have different volume levels. You could also use your cell phone as long as it has an alarm and is loud enough. Some even allow you to download annoying alarm tones, which might be frustrating but ultimately effective.
For example, there are a number of alarm clocks that help wake you up by slowly increasing light, as if the sun were rising, thus tricking your body to respond and say, “Okay, it’s time to get up. ”[21] X Research source Science has even demonstrated they do, indeed, help rouse people from sleep more easily and quickly, even though the light is artificial. There are also lamps you can put by your bed that slowly turn on, simulating the sunrise. Some even offer the opposite effect, simulating a sunset for help in going to sleep. Ultimately, however, natural light is the best way to go. It’s certainly what our ancestors relied on prior to Edison. [22] X Research source Allowing natural light into your room by leaving the blinds or curtains open when you go to sleep is the best jolt to your rhythmic system. Yet because this is often not possible when getting up early enough for school, natural light simulators are nice alternatives.
