Sleep and Executive Functioning

Getting good sleep helps your child/adolescent sustain attention, regulate their emotions better, have the energy to take initiative on tasks, have the energy to get tasks done well.

Reduced sleep can have a negative effect on their overall functioning throughout the day.

More specifically, without good sleep children/adolescents can be a greater risk for higher irritability, higher distractibility, higher impulsivity, and higher fussiness the next day.

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Here are some ways to set up an effective sleep schedule:

Establish routines

• Establish a bed time – based on the child’s age
  - Toddlers: 12-14 hours of sleep
  - Preschoolers: 11-12 hours of sleep
  - School-age children: 10-11 hours of sleep
  - Teens: 8-9 hours of sleep
• Limit screen time or high stimulation activities before bed
• Follow a predictable schedule every night
• This schedule should consist of a calming/relaxing bedtime routine
  (Example: take bath, brush teeth, pajamas, bathroom, read 2 books, listen to mindfulness podcast)
• Your child or adolescent should go to sleep and wake up at the same time everyday or within 1 hour of the time each night/each morning

Create a bedroom that improves sleep hygiene

• Create a bedroom that is cool and comfortable
• Create a bedroom should be dark and not too distracting
  - use eye masks at night to block out light
  - use black out curtains to block evening light
  - use weighted blankets
  - the bedroom should limit bright lights, clocks, and technology (put away phones, tablets, gaming consoles)
• The bed should be used only for sleeping
  - Teenagers often use their beds for homework and TV – this can decrease their ability to go to sleep at night.

Try to avoid before bedtime

• Try not to eat sugar or drink liquids 30-minutes before bedtime (especially no caffeine or sugar such as sodas or chocolate)  
• Try not to allow your child/adolescent to do any stimulating activities 60-minutes before bedtime (no video games, exercise, or television)
• Letting your child sleep in your bed/bedroom
• If they come into your room to sleep at any time: do not let them come into the bed, walk them back to their room, get them back to their bed as soon as possible, limit attention, minimize conversations (If the child continues to need comfort to fall asleep, parents can sit in a chair next to their bed until they fall asleep. It is important that children learn to sleep in their bed, and to fall asleep on their own).