By late summer, bedtime has usually drifted later than anyone planned, and mornings have followed right along with it. Kids are up until eleven, sleeping until nine or ten, and the idea of a 6:30 a.m. alarm feels like something that belongs to a different family entirely.
This shift is expected. Kids and teens naturally stay up later when the structure of the school year disappears, and that’s to be expected when fewer obligations are driving the day.
While recalibrating a teen or child’s sleep schedule may seem daunting, getting back on track doesn’t require a complete overhaul the weekend before school starts. Barrington Hwang, MD, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at Compass Health Center – Chicago, shares a few strategies that can help make those first school mornings much easier.
Why Sleep Schedules Are Hard to Reset Before School Starts
Sleep follows an internal clock, often called the circadian rhythm, that’s shaped by regular exposure to light and consistent daily routines. As sleep schedules drift later over the summer, that internal clock shifts with them. When school starts and wake-up times suddenly move earlier, it can take several days for the clock to catch up. That’s one reason the first week of school often feels exhausting, even when kids got enough hours of sleep on paper the night before.
Sleep also does a lot of work behind the scenes. It supports mood regulation and attention while making it easier to cope with everyday frustrations. When kids and teens don’t get enough sleep, they often become more irritable, have a harder time concentrating, and find it more difficult to manage stress.
“When kids don’t get enough sleep, one of the first places we often see it is in their emotions,” Dr. Hwang says. “They’re more likely to become irritable, react more intensely to everyday frustrations, or have trouble bouncing back after something upsetting. During the first few weeks of school, it’s common for sleep changes and emotional struggles to show up at the same time, so improving sleep is often one of the simplest ways to support a child’s overall well-being.”
Sleep also affects how kids experience anxiety. This doesn’t mean every tired child is struggling with school anxiety, but lack of sleep can magnify worries that are already there, making ordinary first-week nerves feel much bigger than they otherwise would.
How to Reset Your Child’s Sleep Schedule Before School (Step by Step)
The easiest transitions usually begin two to three weeks before the first day of school rather than the weekend before. Giving your child’s sleep schedule time to shift little by little is much easier than trying to force a dramatic change overnight.
Shift bedtime gradually. Instead of moving bedtime and wake time by an hour all at once, aim for 15- to 20-minute adjustments every few days. If your child needs to shift by an hour and a half, it’s perfectly reasonable for that process to take a couple of weeks.
Use morning light to your advantage. Getting outside for a few minutes after waking or opening the blinds during breakfast helps reinforce that it’s time to be awake. Consistent morning light makes it easier to feel sleepy earlier in the evening.
Scale back screens over time. Cutting off devices completely the night before school starts rarely goes well. Instead, try ending screen time 15 to 30 minutes earlier every few nights, so evenings begin to feel calmer without an abrupt change.
A note for teens: Teenagers aren’t staying up late solely out of habit. During adolescence, their circadian rhythm naturally shifts later, so falling asleep early can be genuinely difficult. That’s why “just go to bed earlier” often isn’t realistic. Teens may need a little more time to adjust, along with expectations that match what’s happening biologically.
According to Dr. Hwang, “Parents often assume their teenager is choosing to stay up late, but biology plays a much bigger role than many people realize. During adolescence, the brain naturally shifts toward a later sleep schedule, which means many teens aren’t ready to fall asleep at 9:00 p.m. Giving them time to gradually move their schedule earlier tends to be far more effective than expecting an overnight change.”
How to Build a Bedtime Routine That Actually Works
A consistent bedtime routine helps signal that it’s time to sleep, even if the routine itself is relatively mundane. That might mean brushing teeth, reading for a few minutes, and dimming the lights in roughly the same order each night.
The goal isn’t to create the perfect bedtime routine. What matters most is consistency. Repeating the same general sequence at about the same time each evening helps your child’s internal clock know what to expect.
For younger kids, that routine might include a bath, a favorite book, and lights out. For teens, it could mean protecting a short window before bed that’s free from homework, gaming, or scrolling. The details may look different, but the idea is the same: reducing stimulation before bedtime makes it easier to fall asleep.
Is It Normal School Anxiety or Something More? Signs to Watch For
Some resistance to the return of school is completely normal. A little complaining about early mornings, a few restless nights before the first day, or some nervous excitement about a new teacher or classroom are all common.
“It’s completely normal for children to feel nervous before a new school year,” Dr. Hwang says. “We become more concerned when those worries don’t ease after the first week or two, or when fear starts interfering with daily life. If a child is regularly complaining of headaches or stomachaches before school, becoming extremely distressed at drop-off, or trying to avoid school altogether, it’s worth looking more closely at whether anxiety is playing a larger role.”
If those concerns continue, it may be time to seek additional support. Compass Health Center’s School Anxiety & Refusal Program helps children and teens experiencing school-related anxiety and avoidance, especially when sleep challenges are part of a broader pattern.
What If It’s Almost the First Day and Sleep Isn’t Fixed Yet?
If your child’s sleep schedule is nowhere near where you’d like it to be and the first day of school is almost here, you haven’t missed your chance. Most families experience some degree of summer sleep drift, and even a few days of consistent changes can make a noticeable difference.
“Parents sometimes worry they’ve missed their chance because school starts in just a few days, but that’s rarely the case,” Dr. Hwang says. “The sleep system is surprisingly adaptable. Even if you’re starting later than you hoped, making small, consistent changes can still help your child adjust and make those first mornings feel more manageable. Progress is far more important than perfection.”
Even if you’re getting a late start, it’s still worth making a few changes. A handful of earlier bedtimes won’t completely reset your child’s schedule, but they can make those first mornings feel much more manageable.
The Bottom Line on Getting Back-to-School Sleep on Track
Sleep doesn’t have to be reset overnight, and trying to force a dramatic change usually makes the process harder. Small adjustments to bedtime and wake time, combined with consistent morning light and a predictable evening routine, give your child’s sleep schedule time to move in the right direction before school begins.
If sleep struggles seem to be tied to something more than the normal adjustment back to school—especially if you’re seeing school avoidance, frequent physical complaints, or ongoing distress—it’s worth taking a closer look. Learn more about our School Anxiety & Refusal program to find support for what comes next.
