Consistency and routine are key to moving bedtime earlier

One of the biggest challenges of fall for many children - and parents - is moving bedtime to an earlier time, to allow for both the start of school and the shorter days. But there are some things you can do to make this transition easier for everyone.

First, make the move gradually. If you abruptly insist that children go to bed significantly earlier than their usual time, they probably will not be able to fall asleep.

Instead, try adjusting bedtime by about 15 minutes a day until you have reached your target bedtime.

Then once you have achieved your target, stick to it. Children, like adults, develop a sleep rhythm. They do best in a routine when they go to sleep and wake up at approximately the same time every day.

"Routine bedtime is very important," said Dr. Mohammed Homsi, a pediatric neurologist at Amita Health St. Alexius Medical Center Hoffman Estates. "If the routine is not followed, the sleep will be messed up."

There are going to be exceptions, of course - holidays, travel, sleepovers. But in general, Homsi said, "It is important to keep to the same bedtime and waking time, even on the weekend."

If your children spend part of the time with you and part with the other parent, coordinate with the other parent so that bedtime remains consistent.

Being active during the day can help children go to sleep more easily and sleep better. But too much activity too close to bedtime can be counterproductive. Avoid roughhousing right before bed.

"If they are too active close to bedtime, they will stay up," Homsi said. Instead develop a night time ritual that serves as a cue to children that it soon will be time to go to bed.

The ritual varies according to the child's age, of course. And the exact steps of the ritual are less important than consistently doing things that let children know it is time to start winding down.

For example, you might start the ritual with a bath and brushing teeth, then a story and a song, then lights out.

Hosmi said children should finish eating and drinking a few hours before they go to bed, so they have time to digest and process their food and drink before they fall asleep. Depending on when you have been eating dinner, you might need to move your dinnertime up a little to accommodate the earlier bedtime.

Hosmi also said parents should not allow their children to use screens - including TVs, tablets, smartphones and other electronics -as they are trying to fall asleep. He said parents should take their children's electronics away before bed, because increasingly research shows that children who view screens before bed have more trouble falling asleep and don't sleep as well as children who don't.

However, reading a book - or, for younger children, having a book read to them - is often an important cue for children to start to fall asleep. If your children read on their own, set a time limit for how long they can read before they turn out the light. And make sure that the books they read are not scary or disturbing.

• Children's health is a continuing series. This week's article is courtesy of Amita Health, which is comprised of 19 hospitals and more than 230 sites of care, including Amita Health Alexian Brothers Women & Children's Hospital Hoffman Estates. Amita Health has 900 providers in its medical groups, more than 26,000 associates and 7,000 physician partners and serves over 4.3 million residents in the greater Chicago area. For more information about Amita Health's pediatric programs, visit www.amitahealth.org.