How to Fix Your Sleep Schedule Before Fall

It's easy for sleep habits to shift over the summer. Maybe you have a summer job with seasonal hours, you've been traveling or visiting relatives in a different time zone, or the kids' summer activities require a more relaxed start time than the typical school day. Or maybe you've simply gotten used to staying up late and sleeping in without the pressing need to wake up at 6 a.m.—there's no shame in that game. The tricky part always comes when September rolls around again and it's time to shift back into a busier—or simply different—fall schedule. Earlier alarms, school-packed days, back-to-the-office commutes, and homework-filled evenings make an earlier bedtime and wake-up time imperative for the entire household.

But it's hard to force everyone into a new sleep routine at the drop of a hat, so it's important to re-establish a healthy and consistent sleep routine gradually—before the fall mayhem is in full swing. The earlier you start, the easier it is to move toward the right bedtime for your necessary wakeup time (and avoid feeling like you've been hit by a truck when your alarm goes off).

girl turning off alarm clock: sleep schedule — Getty

"Ideally, we should be keeping a consistent sleep schedule year-round, but we all know it can be challenging to do so with travel plans, camp, and summertime activities," says Andrea Lopez-Yianilos, Psy.D., a New York–based licensed clinical psychologist and behavioral sleep medicine expert. "It's especially important to get back to a consistent sleep schedule before the school year in order to maximize learning for kids and effectiveness at work: Muscle repair and memory consolidation are two important processes occurring when we sleep."

Anxious over how you're going to rein in those summer sleep habits? Read these straightforward bedtime tips to try right now so you and the fam can reset your internal clocks and get the rest you need.

01 of 06

Wake up at the same time every morning.

People often think that enforcing a consistent bedtime should come first, but Lopez-Yianilos says it's all about your wake-up game. "Wake up at the same time seven days a week," she says. "If you wake up at the same time every day, a domino effect will start to happen that leads you to finding your perfect bedtime."

If you know everyone will have to start waking up earlier once summer ends, try to get everyone out of bed a little bit earlier every day as the summer winds down. That way the first few days of school (or work or whatever's dragging you out of bed) won't be such a drastic change—you and your family will be (somewhat) ready to roll at [insert unconscionable hour here].

For anyone with a remote learning or work format, Roy Raymann, Ph.D., chief scientific officer at SleepScore Labs, goes a step further. He recommends families take this opportunity to develop a learning schedule that promotes the kids' circadian rhythms and sleep requirements. That means establishing and maintaining as regular a daily routine as possible too. So in addition to keeping fixed wake times, try as much as possible to stick to consistent meal times, activity times, learning times, breaks, leisure time, and, of course, bedtimes.

02 of 06

Don't sleep in—even on the weekends.

In general, trying to "catch up" on sleep is not as effective as you might think. "Many folks I've worked with catch up on sleep on the weekends or their days off," Lopez-Yianilos says. "However, they're still engaging in sleep deprivation during the week, which affects their daytime functioning. Although you may be able to catch up on sleep and feel better on those days, your concentration, mood, and effectiveness during the week is still compromised when you're sleep-deprived." This is one tip to take with you throughout the school year—and beyond. Weekdays will be much more bearable if you don't let everyone sleep until noon on Saturdays and Sundays.

03 of 06

Get plenty of sunlight and exercise daily.

Exercise and exposure to natural sunlight are not only key for boosting energy and mood, but also regulating a normal circadian rhythm. Adults and kids alike should prioritize spending at least 30 minutes outside (weather permitting) and doing 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic activity every day (as long as it's not too close to bedtime).

Families taking on the school day from home should balance the kids' curriculums with healthy breaks. "Keep some exercise and physical activity in your child's daily schedule and plan activity breaks, [since] working from behind a screen can make them stationary for too long." Raymann says. "And make sure [they] still go outside and gets some outdoor light during the day."

04 of 06

Create—and stick to—a pre-bedtime routine.

There are those lucky individuals who fall asleep the moment their head hits the pillow. For the rest of us, sleepiness comes a little more gradually, even if our bodies are actually quite tired. You have to give yourself time to switch into sleep mode.

"Implement a wind-down routine," Lopez-Yianilos suggests. "Try to create a buffer zone about 30 to 45 minutes before bed to give your mind and body a cue that you're transitioning to bedtime. For example, read a book on the couch or listen to soothing music. And don't go to bed if you're not sleepy—read a book or engage in a soothing activity for 15 minutes, and then reassess your sleepiness."

05 of 06

Use beds for sleep only.

You may have spent some lazy summer mornings or evenings reading books to your kids or watching Netflix in bed, but it's time to start thinking of bed for sleep only—otherwise the mind starts to associate bed with wakefulness. Remember to keep everything from work and schoolwork to nighttime wind-down rituals away from your actual bed.

If you're serious about making changes to your sleep habits and schedule: "Use your bed only for the three S's: sleep, sex, or when you're sick," Lopez-Yianilos says. "No reading, watching TV, eating, working, or social media in bed." And she recommends keeping the bedroom "cool, quiet, dark, and comfortable to maximize quality of sleep."

06 of 06

Limit screen time at night.

You likely spend extended periods of time in front of a screen throughout the day, so a device-free routine before bed is important.

"Reduce screen time in the evening to avoid blue light, which can impact sleep, even more strongly in teens," Raymann says. If you need to, keep all phones and devices out of your own and the kids' bedrooms, and make sure to limit screen use before bed (phones, tablets, TVs, and computers emit blue light that tricks your brain into thinking it's time to wake up—which is the opposite of what you're going for here.)

Can we guarantee you'll be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when your alarm goes off the morning after Labor Day? Sadly, no. But if you follow this advice and take control over your family's morning and nighttime habits now, the start of a more rigorous sleep-wake routine will be much easier to handle.

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