How To Reset Your Kid’s Sleep After A Long Halloween Night

Halloween in South Jersey is all fun and games for most families. That is until bedtime hits.

Between sugar highs, spooky shows, and late-night trick-or-treating, October 31st can wreck even the best sleep schedules. For families with school the next morning? It’s a recipe for cranky kids (and parents).

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According to Eachnight.com, sleep is essential for kids’ brain development, emotional health, learning, and immune function. Yet many children already fall short of recommended hours:

• Toddlers (1–2): 11–14 hours (including naps)
• Preschoolers (3–5): 10–13 hours (including naps)
• School-age (6–12): 9–12 hours
• Teens (13–18): 8–10 hours

Sleep experts admit that Halloween certainly doesn’t make things easy when it comes to bedtime. It combines all the factors that can inhibit kids from getting a good night’s sleep. For one, the sugar doesn’t exactly help settle the kids down after all the excitement from the day. Also, the stimulation from screen time adds to the difficulty in winding down.

The One-Night Halloween Sleep Plan (Parent-Approved)

Before Trick-or-Treating…

• Set a “home by” time (8:00 PM for younger kids, 9:00 PM max for teens).
• Serve a protein + fiber dinner to help balance the sugar rush.
• Pack a small candy bag to limit the stash before it even starts.

After trick-or-treating, you should limit candy to 2–3 fun-size pieces. Skip chocolate or soda after 6 PM for little ones (yes, there's caffeine!). No horror movies or TikTok doomscrolling, either. Swap in a mellow playlist or short book. Stick to the usual bedtime routine: a warm bath, dim lights, and cozy bedtime rituals can help override Halloween hype.

• READ MORE: Here's Why Halloween Candy Costs More In NJ This Year

Halloween might bring chaos, but sleep doesn’t have to suffer. With a little planning, your whole household can bounce back without the meltdown. Thankfully, it’s on a Friday this year. So, if you do have to sleep in the next day, at least it’s the weekend.