BATON ROUGE — With school out for the summer, some parents may adjust bedtimes to allow kids to stay up later.

Sleep experts say that may not be a good idea.

"I think a little relaxation in the summer is totally fine and warranted for all the hard work your kids have been doing all year at school. But on the other hand, if you're noticing bedtime slip a lot later, like more than an hour later, then that's a little concerning, because especially whenever summer is about to end, you have to shift backwards,” sleep specialist Brian Chen said.

The later a child's bedtime is during the summer, the tougher it is going to be to transition back during the school year. In some cases, it could take weeks or even months to readjust.

It is natural for kids to want to stay up later in the summer since the sun stays out for longer in the evenings. And experts say it is okay to have some flexibility with that. But ultimately, it is best to stick to a consistent schedule.

Kids still need plenty of rest for their summer activities.

"If you go to bed too late and you have to wake up early in the summertime, then you're going to be missing out on a couple of minutes, a couple of hours of sleep and that can significantly affect your day. So, for kids, teenagers, it can really affect your mood, your behavior, your cognitive performance, and even your performance in sports and other extracurriculars,” Chen said.

Parents are advised to be mindful of a child's screentime before bed. Research shows blue light exposure can disrupt sleep cycles.