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Children - their changing sleep needs Childrens'
sleep needs

Sleep is vitally important to everyone, but for children it's even more crucial as it plays a key part in their mental and physical development.

The sleep need of new born baby are quite different to school-age-kids

But exactly how much sleep do children need? The answer is that it depends entirely on how old they are - the sleep needs of a newborn baby are quite different to school-age kids.

When babies are born, it takes quite a while for them to develop a sleep-wake cycle. Also called circadian rhythms, this internal 'clock' is what tells us to wake up when it's light and go to sleep when it's dark.

Babies begin to develop their circadian rhythms at about six weeks, and by the time they are three to six months old, most infants have a regular sleep-wake cycle. By the time they're two, most will have spent more time asleep than awake. An average child spends 40% of their childhood sleeping.

Newborn babies will sleep between 10.5 to 18 hours. During this period, though, their sleep will be irregular and may only last a few minutes or a couple of hours.

By the time they're three months to a one year old, infants typically sleep for between nine and 12 hours a night and take naps of 30 minutes to two hours several times throughout the day.

Toddlers, meanwhile, nap less and, by the time they're 18 months, nap only once a day for between one and three hours. They also need less sleep than younger children, requiring between 12 and 14 hours in a 24-hour period.

children, aged between three and five, sleep for around 11 to 13 hours a night.

Pre-school children, aged between three and five, sleep for around 11 to 13 hours a night. It's also at this age that bad dreams, nightmares and sleep terrors are most common - meaning falling and staying asleep can be more difficult.

Between the ages of five and 12 children still need more sleep than most adults - around 10 or 11 hours a night. Sleep is still important in their development, but school-age children can have more difficulty falling asleep because of homework, TV, computers and caffeine products. Sleep problems or disorders are quite common.

By the time they're in their teens, children need less sleep than before - around nine hours a night - but most don't get enough. One study found that only 15% of teens get eight and a half hours or more on school nights.

Many teens experience anxiety, depression or mood swings - and a lack of proper sleep can contribute to those feelings. This is just one reason why, even though teens may feel like keeping irregular hours or staying up late, getting enough good quality sleep and sticking to a regular sleeping pattern is as important for adolescents as it is for babies and infants.

  • Publication date: September 2008