LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As students return to school, parents are faced with the familiar challenge of helping their children get into a good sleep routine.

Douglas Ansert, Baptist Health doctor, said routines are critical for helping children have a good start to the school year and parents should already be helping children get used to waking up earlier, getting dressed, brushing their teeth and packing supplies.  

He recommended nine to 12 hours of sleep for children ages 6 to 12 and eight to 10 hours of sleep for children 13 to 18. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children and adolescents who do not get enough sleep have a higher risk for health and behavioral issues.   

“We typically recommend starting an hour before bed with our wind-down routine," Ansert said. "That is easy because it coincides with when screens should be shut off.”

Ansert said blue light exposure is one of the biggest challenges children face from getting enough quality sleep.

“Our biggest source of blue light is actually the sun, so going outside and seeing the sun is very activating to our brains," Ansert said. 

He added screens such as TVs, tablets, phones and computers should be powered down before bedtime.

“Shutting those devices off before bedtime, we see that kids do much better sleeping when they do that," he said. 

In addition to a good night’s sleep, Ansert said parents should take their children to orientations and back-to-school events. This can help them get acclimated to their new surroundings and rekindle relationships with other students.