As school lets out and summer vacation lay on the horizon for many, Mercy Health is telling valley residents that maintaining healthy sleep habits may be just as important to your summer break as the trips you plan in your waking hours.

"The summer is only about two to three months, and very soon you'll be headed back to school or your regular work routine. If you don't maintain your same, basic sleep patterns during the summertime – regardless of whether you're at home or traveling – you'll end up dealing with the consequences of acute or chronic sleep deprivation," says Jill Stefanucci-Uberti, vice president of medical affairs at Mercy Health – St. Joseph Warren Hospital.

Sleep deprivation has a sweeping array of negative side effects, like mood swings, poor cognition, poor productivity, and daytime fatigue - all of which put big dampers on the summer fun.

For kids, Stefanucci-Uberti recommends staying as close to their normal schedules as possible. This includes wake up times, nap times, meal times, and bedtimes, even when out on vacation.

For adults, Stefanucci-Uberti says it's best to spread out taxing activities and break them up with less active ones, and break up busy attractions when possible. Instead of doing multiple parks in one day, maybe keep it to one a day with some time in the evening to relax.

Mercy Health also says that it's okay to veer of schedule, so long as it doesn't happen often. 

"Try to apply the 80/20 rule – scheduling your day around your child's naps and bedtime 80% of the time with that extra 20% left to veer off routine for the unexpected. The key is trying not to do too much."

In addition to those tips, Mercy Health is also stressing the negative effects of electronic devices on our sleep habits. According to the release, blue light supresses the release of melatonin, which makes you feel drowsy when you're about to sleep.

Turning off the devices a couple hours before bedtime and having a chat with the family or playing a board game could help you hit the hay at night.

Finally, Mercy Health also recommends sticking to as healthy a diet as you can. Avoid alcohol and caffeine right before bed, and avoid spicy or fatty foods during that late-night snack. Each of these things has a chance to cause negative side effects when you're trying to get a good rest for the vacation that lies ahead.

If you stick to these tips and still encounter sleep issues, Mercy Health says there might be something more at play, and you should schedule and appointment with your doctor to decide what's best for you.

Now, with tips in hand, let the summer fun begin!