How to make sure your child is getting enough sleep, from a body clock expert

By the time it comes to the end of their time off school, the kids have been back at school for a couple of weeks, but they may still be struggling to get back in that pre-holiday sleep routine.

Body clock expert and Founder of Circada, Sam Lewtas, says there’s a couple of things parents in Lancashire can do to make sure your child is getting enough sleep:

“Ultimately, the14","classid":1073872969,"properties":[469775450,"normaltextrun",201340122,"1",134233614,"true",469778129,"normaltextrun",335572020,"1",469778324,"default paragraph font"]"> circadian rhythm, more often known as the body clock, is the synchronisation of a 24-hour cycle in time with the sun, which is present in almost all living things. It influences when we feel hungry, when we are alert, and how and when we sleep.

“Ours and our kid’s body clock can be thrown off by something as simple as going to bed at a different time each night or being exposed to too much artificial lighting too close to going to sleep.

“The school holidays are bound to knock a child’s body clock out of sync as they may be allowed some late nights as a treat, whilst others may stay up playing video games or watching TV.

“Further, children’s eyes are more receptive to light than adults, meaning staying up past their usual bedtime in front of a screen can knock their body clock out of sync easily, whilst simultaneously disrupting the nocturnal rise in melatonin, which is a hormone linked to the functioning of our body clocks.

“If you’ve noticed your kids are struggling to get back into a routine post-school holiday, it is important to make sure they’re getting enough exposure to natural light, then reducing artificial light later in the evening and into the night.

“This exposure could come from playing in the park for an hour after school or walking to and from school if it’s possible, as well as playing in the garden, and making the most of after-school activities – especially those that are outdoors.

“By increasing kid's (and our own!) exposure to natural light, we can help to realign our body clocks, which in turn can help to improve our quality of sleep, and make sure we’re getting enough of it.”