My child sleeps in class

Is your child dozing off in the classroom? Don’t panic! There are many possible explanations. Elementary school children are usually good sleepers, but a variety of factors can still affect their sleep and make them less alert during the day. Fortunately, there are lots of ways to address this problem.

Children become more and more independent in their evening routine as they get older, so it’s important to keep an eye on certain habits and activities. For example, consider common recommendations like the following:

• Limit screen time before bed. The blue light from screen devices interferes with the body’s production of melatonin (a hormone that regulates sleep), often making it harder to fall asleep at night.
• Avoid eating stimulating foods before bed. Meals that are too heavy or too sweet remain in the body for a long time.
• Etc.

What’s more, when kids stay up late, they have difficulty getting up in the morning or end up nodding off in class—especially those they find less engaging or that take place earlier in the day.
 

Seasonal changes, such as turning the clocks back or forward and adjusting to shifts in daylight hours, can make it harder to fall asleep or get out of bed. Itʼs generally more difficult to get up when itʼs dark in the morning (wintertime) and to fall asleep when the sun is still out in the evening (summertime). 
Have you ever noticed that your child has a harder time getting up on Monday mornings? Sleeping in on weekends causes a kind of Monday-morning jet lag. To avoid this, itʼs recommended that on days off, kids get out of bed no more than two hours later than they normally would on a school day.
If your child struggles with lying awake at night despite having a good bedtime routine, they may find it helpful to get up briefly before trying to fall asleep again. You can suggest various activities:

• Leafing through a magazine 
• Reading a relaxing book 
• Writing about what’s on their mind in a notebook (if applicable)
• Etc.

After 20 to 30 minutes, they can go back to bed and should manage to fall asleep more quickly. 
The older kids get, the later they tend to stay up. That’s just how it goes! Hormonal changes cause the body to produce melatonin one to two hours later. Young girls may experience more disturbed sleep the week before their period or have trouble falling asleep due to menstrual cramps. In addition, for teens, homework and after-school jobs can delay bedtime and lead to hypervigilance, a state of wakefulness and alertness that prevents sleep.
 

If your child is sick, has a cold, or tends to snore, it can affect their sleep. Do they sleep with their mouth open? Do they have allergies? If your child has dark circles under their eyes and has trouble getting up in the morning, check to make sure they’re not suffering from sleep apnea. If a bad cold is the cause of these symptoms, they should disappear once your child gets better. Restless sleep can also be caused by temporary growing pains. Regardless, if your child falls into a pattern of poor sleep, you should bring it up with their doctor.

Periods of increased stress, such as exam time, are another factor that can affect sleep quality and have repercussions during the day. Anxiety and stress can be mentally draining, so itʼs important to try to minimize them. Regularly doing relaxing activities can reduce hypervigilance and help kids fall asleep more easily. Here are some examples to consider incorporating into your child’s routine:

• Taking a bath or shower
• Meditating before bedtime (check out mobile applications such as Rose Buddha, Sitting Still Like a Frog, and Zenfie)
• Playing soft background music or using earplugs
• Colouring a mandala
• Etc.
   

There are many other potential reasons why your child is falling asleep in class. It could be that they lack motivation, for instance, or that they’re bored with certain subjects. Take the time to sit down with your child to discuss what might help them stay focused.
Kids also need to move, some more than others. Physical activity during the day not only helps with falling asleep at night, but also improves sleep quality. In addition, it contributes to better attention and concentration during the day.
Finally, you may also want to take a closer look at what your child eats over the course of the day. Do they need a more substantial breakfast or lunch? Do they eat foods that are difficult to digest? Advice from a nutritionist could shed some light on the matter.