Sleep is important and indispensable to all of us, especially our young ones, who are undergoing changes and development.
A child goes through several stages of development that can affect their body, emotions, and brain functions. Achieving healthy and quality sleep is crucial during these stages. Infants and younger kids naturally sleep longer, which gradually decreases as they age.
Understanding how much sleep is needed by your little ones is important to creating a healthy environment for them to rest and recharge.
The Importance of Sleep for Kids
Sleep does so much for our health and productivity. This is also true for our kids. Studies show that children who receive adequate sleep have improved overall physical and mental health. This includes having improved behaviour, adequate energy, memory retention, and overall development.
Adults can be very busy during the day, as can kids. From attending school to playing with friends and doing many other activities, they too need some time to rest and recharge. Their body and brain need some snooze to aid the body's repairs and functions that only happen at night.
Lack of quality can cause your children to feel groggy, moody, tired, and overall not in their best condition. Sleep deprivation can also result in decreased brain development, memory loss, a compromised immune system, obesity, and increased risks of heart disease.
How Much Sleep Do Kids Need?
Now that we know what happens if your kids lack sleep, we’ll talk about the sleep requirements of your little ones.
|
Age |
Category |
Recommended Hours of Sleep |
|
0-3 months old |
Newborn baby |
14-17 hours a day |
|
4-11 months old |
Infant |
12-15 hours a day |
|
1-2 years old |
Toddler |
11-14 hours a day |
|
3-5 years old |
Preschool child |
10-13 hours a day |
|
6-12 years old |
School age child |
9-11 hours a day |
|
13-17 years old |
Teenager |
8-10 hours a day |
It is recommended for newborn babies from zero to three months old to sleep for 14 to 17 hours. This may look long, but the required sleep is usually broken into segments to feed the baby. Newborn babies also tend to wake up a lot at night; however, these sleep fluctuations don’t necessarily indicate problems with your child’s sleeping schedule. However, their unique sleeping needs may require the parents to adjust, especially during times when they need to feed the baby.
Newborn babies nap and get a good portion of their daily sleep requirements in the daytime. It is completely normal for your newborn baby to take some naps during the day. This can help with their memory and overall development.
As the baby grows, the hours required become less. Infants aged four to 11 months are recommended to get at least 12 to 15 hours of sleep a day. Newborn babies and infants spend more than half of their days sleeping. This long sleeping period helps in their development during their early stages of growth. This also helps in developing better motor skills.
Once an infant reaches six months old, the total sleeping time also decreases. This process lessens as the child grows, especially at the 12-month mark. During this time, infants already have an established circadian rhythm.
How Can You Tell If Your Child Lacks Quality Sleep?
Whether your child is a newborn baby or a teenager, quality sleep is just as important. Newborn babies generally have varying sleeping schedules compared to school-age kids or teenagers. Daytime naps are also more common for babies under one year old.
Some signs that your infant isn’t getting enough sleep include crying, fussiness, and frequent rubbing of the eyes. For toddlers and kids, sleep deprivation can result in excessive daytime sleepiness, a lack of concentration, mood issues, and memory issues.
Helping Your Child Sleep Better
Most of us fall asleep 20 minutes after going to bed. However, there are instances where the body becomes too tired or alert to reach a restful, deep sleep.
A good sleeping environment and healthy sleep hygiene can help your children sleep better. You can help your children sleep better by helping them develop healthy sleeping habits.
Create a Good Bedtime Ritual
The best bedtime ritual will depend on every child’s needs. If your child is an infant, for example, sing a lullaby, play soft music, or make white noise. For toddlers or preschoolers, you can do nighttime storytelling to get them excited to go to bed when it’s already time to sleep.
Creating a nightly bedtime routine can also help your children associate some habits with sleeping. Putting on pyjamas, brushing their teeth, reading books, or creating a pillow fort are some fun ways to help them enjoy their nighttime rituals and get a good night’s rest.
Stick to a Sleeping Schedule
While it’s important to create a fun environment for your kids before bedtime, it’s also important to stick to a sleeping schedule. This is to help your young ones build their circadian rhythm.
When it comes to teenagers, sticking to a sleep schedule means following it even during weekends and holidays. As much as possible, turn off the electronics at least two hours before the set sleeping time. This is because being exposed to the screen can stimulate their brain, making it hard to fall asleep at night.
Healthy exposure to daylight in the morning can help your children’s bodies create a good distinction between sleeping and waking up.
Keep Older Children’s Naps Short
While infants take longer naps, older children and teenagers will need shorter naps in order to sleep well at night. The recommended daytime nap shouldn’t last longer than 20 minutes and no later than the early afternoon.
Choose a Good Mattress
Whether your little one is sleeping in a crib, a bunk bed, or a solo bedroom, the right mattress is important for a safe and restful sleep. Ultimately, mattresses for babies should be firm enough to keep them comfortable without too much sinkage. Also, the mattress should fit the size of the crib to prevent possible accidents.
The mattress for bunk beds should also be firm enough and tall enough to support the sleeper without exceeding the height of the safety rails. If you are co sleeping with your child on a bigger bed, make sure that your mattress has an excellent motion isolation feature to prevent it from moving too much when one tosses and turns.
A cooling mattress with a water-repellent cover can also help you and your little ones stay comfortable at night. Not to mention, mattresses with water repellent are easier to clean considering how prone kids are to pee accidents.
Takeaway
Establishing a healthy sleep environment and habits can make a huge difference in the health and development of your kids. Children have varying sleeping requirements, but they all need a conducive sleeping environment and a healthy routine to achieve their best nights’ rest.
DISCLAIMER: All the information, including the texts, images, and other materials on this website, are for educational purposes only. Although we strive to present accurate information to our readers, no material on the Somnuz website is a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified medical professional with regards to your health. NEVER disregard or delay seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read in this article.