Summer felt never-ending for 10-year-old Maya. Bedtime got later, mornings were slower, and her favourite pastime was staying up with her tablet playing games, long after everyone at home went to sleep. Her parents noticed, but thought: ‘It’s summer, she deserves a break’.
Then the scholastic year started. On her first day back at school, Maya struggled to wake up, or have breakfast, or focus in class. Meanwhile a classmate of hers, David, whose parents had shifted his bedtime to an earlier time in the evening a week before school started, arrived alert and ready to learn.
Same classroom, same teacher, but very different outcomes for the two students. The difference was not the students’ lack of effort; it was their rhythm.
Why rhythm matters
Our brains work best when they follow a steady rhythm (Xu et al., 2021). We all have an internal clock that tells us when it’s time to be awake and when it’s time to rest (Meyer et al., 2022). If bedtimes and wake-up times shift too often, our body clock gets confused, making mornings harder and nights more restless.
Teachers see the difference right away: a child who has slept well usually comes to class calm and ready to learn, while another who has not may find it harder to sit still, pay attention or manage their feelings.
Sleep is never wasted time. Even while children rest, their brains are still hard at work: sorting through the day’s experiences, storing new memories and keeping emotions in balance.
Younger children usually need nine to 11 hours of sleep, while teenagers, despite insisting they do not, still need eight to 10 (Lewien et al., 2021).
Even losing just an hour or two of sleep each night can build up quickly, making it harder to learn, remember and manage moods (Crowley, 2024).
The good news is that small steps can make a big difference. Creating a ‘digital sunset’ an hour before bedtime gives the body’s natural sleep hormone, melatonin, the space it needs to do its job.
“Even losing just an hour or two of sleep can make it harder to learn, remember, and manage moods”
Screen moderation is key
Technology itself is not the problem. In fact, when used well, it helps children stay connected with friends, explore their creativity and even learn new things. Maya’s late nights, for example, were tied to her tablet.
Excessive screen time at night, with bright screens and constant notifications, kept her brain active and made it harder for her to relax and sleep.
Rather than banning screens, David’s parents set simple boundaries, such as no devices in his bedroom, tech-free meals and a ‘digital sunset’, to help him balance his use of technology.
The message for all children should be clear and reassuring: screens have their place, but they are not the centre of life.
Play and connection
While tablets and games can entertain, they cannot replace real-world play, which helps children build empathy, resilience and problem-solving skills. Activities such as cooking with others, inventing games or chatting at dinner create neural pathways that no device can replicate (Andres, 2025).
Human connection is just as important. Shared meals, daily conversations and family rituals help children feel safe and supported. David’s family introduced simple routines like a check-in after homework and a bedtime chat, which helped him open up, laugh more and feel emotionally steadier. His parents realised the shift was not just about sleep but about connection.
Small changes, big difference
Making small changes before school starts can make a big difference. Most importantly, parents lead by example: when children see adults put down their screens and get enough rest, they learn how to find balance themselves.
Within weeks, mornings in Maya’s house had transformed: she ate breakfast, laughed with her sister and packed her bag calmly. The secret was not stricter rules but rhythm.
As school begins, the real foundation lies at home: steady sleep, balanced screen time, play and connection. These routines are brain tools that help children step into school rested, calm and ready to learn.
Adolescents need it too
It is tempting to assume that older children no longer need routines. Yet teenagers’ brains are still undergoing profound changes, particularly in regions controlling planning, decision- making, impulse control and emotional regulation.
Consistent routines, adequate sleep and genuine human interaction remain just as vital, so parents should also provide them with structure without restricting their independence.
Erika Galea is founder and director of the Educational Neuroscience Hub Europe (Malta), which aims to raise awareness of evidence-based strategies, with the goal of enhancing the effectiveness of the teaching and learning process, placing students at the centre of their education.
erikagalea@educationalneurosciencehub.com
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