Summer Vacation Raises Risk of Sleep Deprivation and Obesity in Children

Disrupting children's biological rhythms is an important issue for protecting their physical and psychological health. During summer vacation, children's daily activities and sleep patterns change. In this period, children going to bed late and waking up late not only affects their sleep, but also impacts their growth rate and eating habits, potentially leading to weight gain and subsequently obesity. Specialist Doctor Faruk Barış Elverici from the Pediatrics Department at Memorial Ankara Hospital, noting that children experiencing different rules between summer and winter show behavioral changes, shared important information with families on how to maintain their children's routines during summer vacation.

Children's Routines Become Disrupted

During summer vacation, children generally spend their time with their families in parks, gardens or summer homes. However, this period marks a time when children's routines change and deteriorate. Children who live by certain standards during the school year begin to deviate from this standard in summer, and changes occur in their routines and behavior.

The "Not Sleeping Is Fine" Mentality Is Wrong

The primary reason for routine and behavioral changes during vacation is, unknowingly, parents themselves. Mothers and fathers who cannot spend much time with their children during winter school periods try to spend time in summer homes until late at night in summer. Parents who give their children, who normally go to sleep by 21.00 or 22.00, an extra 2-3 hours during summer may disrupt their living standards. This situation is not beneficial for the child but harmful for future periods.

Disrupted Sleep Patterns Can Weaken the Immune System

Summer vacation actually represents a period of recovery and renewal for children. During this period when their immune systems are renewed, children sleeping very late at night begin waking up late in the morning. This situation prevents children from resting, renewing themselves and maintaining a strong immune system. Additionally, sleep occurring at late hours in no way replaces sleep that starts early and ends at 6.00-7.00 in the morning. It should not be forgotten that children grow during sleep.

Increases Obesity Risk

Disrupted sleep hours and quality automatically means disrupted eating patterns. Children who wake up early in the morning, have breakfast and allow their metabolism to work from early on also secrete growth and obesity-protection hormones during their nighttime sleep. In children who go to bed late and wake up late, both eating patterns and food contents change. Children who eat legumes, meat and vegetables in winter are exposed to fast food-type foods such as hamburgers and pizza during summer vacation and consume excessive sugar. In children with disrupted sleep and eating patterns, development delay and obesity risk increase.

Children May Display Aggressive Behavior

Parents who tolerate disruptions to their children's routines panic as schools are about to reopen and try to get their children accustomed to going to bed early and waking up early. Families struggling to bring their children into new form over such a short period inevitably face problems. Children experiencing different rules between summer and winter may experience conflict and confusion while displaying irritability and aggressive behavior. This creates a shock effect in children's bodies.

Recommendations for Parents

As children grow, they need standards between summer and winter periods that are not completely different practices but rather can be slightly adjusted based on circumstances. Some recommendations to guide parents in providing these standards and preventing disruption to children's metabolism are as follows:

• Rules set in winter regarding daily routines necessary for a child's healthy growth should remain valid in summer
• Flexibility in relaxing rules regarding the child should not be excessive
• Children's bedtime and wake-up time should be fixed in both summer and winter
• Breakfast and meal times should not be skipped, children should not be directed toward fast food, and metabolism-strengthening foods should be provided
• Parents, who are role models for their children, should demonstrate consistency in their behavior and statements
• Children who go to bed late should be woken up early and made to start the day refreshed
• Children should be enrolled in regular social and sports activities. These activities should continue in winter as well
• For children who have gained weight in winter, a healthy nutrition program should be implemented in summer
• Impartial specialists should be consulted to determine which areas children have talent in, and they should be directed toward those areas
• Children's wishes should be respected and things that interest them should not be disregarded
• Children who constantly play digital games risk becoming antisocial and lazy, so children should be directed toward various activities as much as possible