If you're a parent, you probably know that not getting enough sleep leads to a cranky child. But exactly how much sleep does your child need? The answer varies depending on your child's age, but is also influenced based on other factors such as your child's activity level or personal needs.
Babies
When you first bring your baby home from the hospital, she'll need between 15 and 18 hours of sleep a day. Because newborns have yet to establish dependable nighttime sleeping habits or daytime napping schedules, your infant will get the required amount of sleep in short cycles, alternating between sleeping for two to four hours with a brief period of alertness for the first month. Between months one and four, your baby will start to habitualize her sleep pattern, extending her nighttime sleep to five to seven hours at a time with three daytime naps, totaling 14 to 15 hours of sleep a day. This guideline of 14 to 15 hours a day extends until the end of your baby's first year, with periods of nighttime sleep getting longer as the child gets older; daytime naps will also drop from three to two during this period.
Toddlers
Children between the ages of 1 and 3 years require less sleep than they did as babies--typically between 12 and 14 hours, although most average just 10 hours of sleep during any given 24-hour period. Most of this sleep will come at night; although toddlers still nap--with younger toddlers napping twice a day until around 18 months of age, when many drop down to just one nap--10 to 11 hours of sleep at night is average.
Preschool Age
Sleep needs continue to decrease as your child gets older. By the time your child is in preschool, he'll only need 10 to 12 hours of sleep a day. Most 3-year-olds still nap, but by the time they enter kindergarten at age 5, most will drop naps entirely; this accounts for the difference in sleep requirements for toddlers and preschoolers. Once your child drops his nap, all of his sleep will come overnight.
Elementary School Age
The sleep needs of a preschool-age child are only slightly different from those of an elementary school-age child. Between the ages of 7 and 12, most children only require 10 to 11 hours of sleep. Without any naps, all this sleep comes at night. During this age, your child must wake up earlier to go to school and may require an earlier bedtime to get enough sleep.
Middle and High School Students
Once your child reaches adolescence, her sleep needs will drop yet again and start to mirror those of an adult. Twelve- to 18-year-olds need eight to nine hours of sleep a day, although anyone who has ever lived with a teenager knows he may spend the entire weekend in bed. Encourage your teen to develop a sleep routine, going to bed and waking up at the same time regardless of the day of the week or time of year.
Exceptions
Children of all ages need more sleep than these recommendations during certain phases of their lives. For example, a baby going through a growth spurt may sleep far longer than the recommended 14 to 15 hours a day until the growth spurt ends. A sick child will also require more sleep as her body heals. Adolescents going through puberty may also need more sleep than is standard, while an active child of any age will generally need more sleep than an inactive child.
Your child's personal needs also play a role. While some 4-year-olds may need 11 hours of sleep a day to function, your child may require only nine hours. Encourage your child to get as much sleep as she needs and listen to her body's cues, rather than mandating she stay in bed--or get up early--to hit the recommendations.
