Extracurricular commitments, homework, and friends can quickly subtract from tweens time to sleep. This can be especially difficult for middle school students who need 9-10+ hours of sleep.
Be an eParent®! Help your child get a good night’s sleep by minimizing screen use two hours before bed. The bright light, especially from tablets that are viewed up-close, may delay sleep.
Start by monitoring how much sleep your child is getting this week. To keep your child from seeing this as a negative, share your concern about their wellbeing by tying it to something they care about – an upcoming sports game, a test or big project they want to ace, or an outing with friends. Reinforcing good sleep practices for your child will be a win for you too – you can model these practices and maybe get some more shut-eye yourself!
How much sleep is recommended for middle school age kids (and other ages)? Check it out the CDC’s recommendations with your child. (You can even send someone an e-card on sleep!)
Watch this video for other tips for teens on how to sleep better.
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Revised November 2018