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Start your back-to-school sleep routines early

Posted at 4:44 PM, Aug 11, 2019
and last updated 2019-08-11 16:44:10-04

TAMPA, Fla. — There's only one week left until most school districts head back to the classroom and that means it's start to get you, and your kids, back on a routine.

That means starting a bedtime routine now and making sure the kids are getting enough sleep.

Zachary Stachura, MD at Tampa General Hospital says, "It doesn't have to be big swings, where it's 3 hours in a single night or that we're jumping forward or getting up 4 hours early. But slowly and gradually moving those schedules forward a bit to interact where the normal school schedule would be. "

Key things you can do to make that transition a little easier:

- Ease into an earlier bed time.
- For elementary or middle aged kids, aim for 8-9 hours of sleep.
- Limit screen time for two hours before bed time.

If your kid suffers from nightmares or night terrors, click here for information from TGH.