By Annette Pinder

The National Sleep Foundation has some sound sleep advice for the holiday season:

“The holidays can do a number on kids’ sleep routines. With school on a hiatus, migrating meal schedules, and family and friends pouring on exciting new toys and treats, it can be tempting to give up on getting your child to sleep until the New Year’s confetti settles. But, unless you want the Grinch at your holiday table — not to mention major sleep wars when school starts again — it’s best not to throw all healthy habits to the wind.”

Dr. Sandra Block, Director of the Adult and Pediatric Sleep Medicine Center at Buffalo Medical Group, couldn’t agree more. Dr. Block says that, regardless of the excitement of the holidays, it is important to make every effort for children to adhere to a regular sleep schedule. She offers the following advice for a healthier and less stressful holiday season.

Holiday events and dinners. Depending on the age of your children, dinner and cocktails that begin at 7:30 probably won’t work very well. If your plans involve family and friends, consider asking everyone involved if it is possible to adjust the schedule for a family-friendlier start. When schedules cannot be changed, it can be helpful to get a babysitter for the evening, if possible.

Maintain a regular bedtime routine. It is common for festivities to last longer during the holidays. However, when this occurs, it is still important that your child receives the recommended hours of sleep. If your kids must stay up later, try to make sure they are able to sleep a bit longer in the morning, or nap during the day.

Downtime is important. Holidays are exciting and stimulating. Time with relatives and friends, the excitement of new toys, and changes in schedules can leave kids feeling hyper and unable to sleep. To make things easier for everyone, try transitioning to bedtime with scheduled downtime. Putting toys and electronics away, dimming the lights, taking a warm bath or reading a book can help to calm things down and prepare children for bedtime. It will help you feel calmer, too!

Ease back into a normal routine. Once the excitement of the holidays begins to fade, it helps to start getting back to a normal routine before school begins. The Sleep Foundation says, “If bedtime has shifted later than usual, gradually push it earlier by 15 minutes a night to make sure that your tot is getting the healthy sleep that he or she needs.”

Sandra Block, M.D. is the Director of the Adult and Pediatric Sleep Center at Buffalo Medical Group, where she diagnoses and treats patients of all ages, including infants, in a comfortable setting. The center, which is open seven days a week, is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Dr. Block is board certified in sleep medicine, neurology, and clinical neurophysiology. Learn more at www.buffalomedicalgroup.com, and call 716-630-1122 to make an appointment.