Nebraska experts say good sleep is ‘important for survival’ as kids head back to school

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – As kids head back to school, Nebraska health experts are stressing the importance of making sure they get enough sleep.

Jeff Gonzalez, director of respiratory therapy and sleep diagnostics at CHI Health’s Nebraska Heart Institute, said the amount of sleep required varies depending on a child’s age, activity levels and individual needs.

“Everybody’s body is a little bit different,” he said “Make it a very conscious effort. Set up a time you’re going to bed, a time you’re going to be waking up. Have something set in stone and try to adhere to it. Not just on the weekdays, but on the weekends, too.”

Kids ages 3 to 5 will need 10 to 13 hours of sleep every day, and children ages 6 to 12 should get nine to 12 hours.

Doctors recommend that teenagers sleep eight to 10 hours.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that most kids don’t sleep enough.

The agency found that almost two-thirds of children sleep fewer than eight hours a night.

Rachel Schumacher, a child psychologist at the Munroe Meyer Institute in Omaha, said sleep plays a critical role in brain development and learning.

“Getting good sleep is just as important for survival as food and water is,” she said. “Sleep problems impact the entire family, not just the kid. And that’s why we see a lot of kids in our clinic who are struggling with sleep.”

Dr. Kevin Reichmuth, a pulmonologist at Bryan Health’s sleep center, said adjusting sleep schedules now and removing distractions before bed can make it easier when school starts.

“We really recommend getting on the sleep schedule that’s going to be best for school starting at least a week before school starts,” he said. “We’re kind of butting up against that now.”

Reichmuth said it can help if kids spend time in the sun earlier in the day, while minimizing the time spent in sunlight during the evening.

He also said eating dinner earlier, around 5 or 6 p.m., can make it easier to sleep at night.

All the experts said when kids don’t get enough sleep, they’re more impulsive, more accident-prone and more likely to miss class.

In the long term, kids could also develop depression, decreased attention spans and even a higher risk of cancer.

The experts said if you’re planning to use drugs like melatonin to help your child sleep, make sure you use it properly and speak to a doctor first.

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