How much sleep do your children really need??
Children need more sleep than adults to support their rapid mental and physical development. Often it is difficult to know if your child is sleeping enough as they respond differently to adults when they are tired. An overtired child will often present not with drowsiness but with hyperactivity and restlessness!
| Recommended sleeping hours for children (National Sleep Foundation) | ||
| Newborn | 0-3 months | 14-17 hours |
| Infants | 4-11 months | 12-15 hours |
| Toddlers | 1-2 years | 11-14 hours |
| Preschoolers | 3-5 years | 10-13 hours |
| School Aged Children | 6- 11 years | 9-11 hours |
| Teenagers | 14-17 years | 8-10 hours |
Of course every now and then children will get more or less sleep than is needed. But when children are routinely not getting enough sleep they can easily become irritable, overactive, seek constant stimulation and don’t concentrate well. There is evidence that links lack of sleep with obesity as children seek sugary food for energy to keep them awake throughout the day.
But what if my child won’t go to sleep?
Sometimes the bed time routine can seem like a battle ground. Common problems children often have around sleep time include not going to bed, not settling into sleep, getting up during the night, not staying in their own bed and not getting enough sleep.
The key to a good night’s sleep for all the family is setting up a bed time routine. Start 30 to 60 minutes before bed time and use this as a quiet time away from televisions, computers, or any other stimulating devices. Include in this routine a daily set of activities such as taking a bath, putting on pajamas, brushing teeth, having a story and getting a kiss goodnight. It is important that this routine is firmly followed and becomes a regular thing. Make sure the bed time is enforced resolutely.
Try to set up a nice sleeping environment for your children where they are not disturbed by activity or noise. It may help to have a soft toy or a night light for comfort in case they wake up in the night. Make sure children know that they are expected to stay in their own beds for the night. If your child comes to your bed in the night, simply take them back to their bed and tell them you expect them to stay. This can be a battle at first, but once children get used to this routine, bed time will be much more pleasant for everyone involved. Reward and praise children for staying settled over night