Sleep is of paramount importance to young children. Early in life, a person experiences tremendous development1 that affects the brain, body, emotions, and behavior and sets the stage for their continued growth through childhood and adolescence.
In light of this, it’s normal for parents to want to make sure that their children, whether babies or young kids, get the sleep that they need. After convening a panel of experts to review the existing research, the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) formulated recommendations for total daily sleep needs by age2.
| Age Range | Recommended Hours of Sleep | |
|---|---|---|
| Newborn | 0-3 months old | 14-17 hours |
| Infant | 4-11 months old | 12-15 hours |
| Toddler | 1-2 years old | 11-14 hours |
| Preschool | 3-5 years old | 10-13 hours |
| School-age | 6-13 years old | 9-11 hours |
These ranges are for total sleep including at night and during naps. The NSF’s experts noted that these are broad recommendations and that an hour more or less may be appropriate for some children. Parents can benefit from using these guidelines as a target while recognizing that a healthy amount of sleep may vary3 among children or from day to day.
As these recommendations demonstrate, sleep needs evolve as a child gets older. An array of factors can influence the proper amount of sleep for babies and kids, and knowing these details can serve parents who want to encourage healthy sleep for their children.
How Much Sleep Do Babies Need?
Babies spend the majority of their day sleeping. The normal amount of time that babies sleep depends on their age.
Newborns (0-3 Months Old)
The NSF recommends that newborns spend between 14 and 17 hours sleeping every day. Because of the need for feeding, this sleep is usually broken up into a number of shorter periods.
While the bulk of total sleep happens at night, it’s rare for newborns to sleep through the night without waking up. To accommodate feeding, nighttime sleep segments, and daytime naps, parents often work to develop a rough structure or schedule for a newborn’s day.
Parents should be aware that fluctuations in sleep patterns for newborns can occur and do not necessarily indicate a sleeping problem. For this reason, the American Association of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have chosen not to list a recommended amount of sleep4 for babies under 4 months old.
Infants (4-11 Months Old)
Guidelines from the NSF state that infants (4-11 months old) should get between 12 and 15 hours of sleep per day. AASM and AAP guidelines, which recommend 12-16 total hours, closely track those of the NSF. It is normal for infants to sleep for 3-4 hours during the day.
How Much Sleep Do Kids Need?
The amount of sleep that kids should get changes significantly as they get older. As they move from toddlers to school age, their sleep becomes increasingly similar to that of adults18.
In this process, the sleep requirements for young children decline, and that is reflected primarily in a decreased amount of time spent napping during the day.
Even though kids sleep for fewer hours than babies, sleep remains critical to their overall health19 and development. Lack of sufficient sleep at a young age has been correlated with problems with weight, mental health, behavior, and cognitive performance.
Toddlers (1-2 Years Old)
It is recommended that toddlers get between 11 and 14 hours of total sleep every day. Their napping decreases compared to infants and frequently accounts for around 1-2 hours of daily sleep. Two naps per day is normal at the start of this period, but it’s not uncommon for older toddlers to take only an afternoon nap.
Preschool (3-5 Years Old)
Preschool-aged children who are 3-5 years old should get around 10-13 total hours of sleep per day according to NSF and AASM guidelines. During this time, naps may get shorter, or a preschooler may stop napping20 on a regular basis.
School-Age (6-13 Years Old)
The NSF advises that school-age children should sleep for a total of 9-11 hours every day. The AASM extends the top part of the range to 12 hours.
As school-age includes a wider set of ages, the individual needs of any given child in this group can vary significantly. Younger school-age children typically need more sleep than those who are in middle school or approaching high school.
When children in school-age years start to go through puberty and enter adolescence, their sleep patterns change markedly and can give rise to distinct challenges that confront teens and sleep.
Is It Normal For Kids to Take Naps?
For many kids, it is normal to take naps, especially when they are toddlers and preschool-aged. During these years, napping may continue to confer benefits for memory and thinking.
It is normal for napping to slowly phase out during early childhood21 with naps becoming both shorter and less frequent. This may occur naturally or as a result of schedules for school or child care.
Although many children stop napping by around age five, it’s important to remember that nap preferences can be different for every child. In preschools with scheduled nap time, some children sleep easily, but others — up to 42.5% in one study22 — fall asleep only sometimes or not at all.
Some older children may still be inclined to nap and can benefit from doing so. In a study in China23, where it is often more culturally appropriate to nap, children in grades 4-6 who took frequent naps after lunch showed signs of better behavior, academic achievement, and overall happiness.
The existing research about napping and optimal timing of sleep episodes is inconclusive and acknowledges that what’s best for one child can change over time and may not be what’s best for another child of the same age. For this reason, parents, teachers, and child care workers may be able to best encourage optimal sleep for kids by being flexible and understanding about naps.
What Can You Do if Your Child Doesn’t Sleep Enough?
It is estimated that 25% of young children24 deal with sleeping problems or excessive daytime sleepiness, and these issues can affect older children and teens as well. While the nature of sleeping challenges vary, parents should talk with their children about sleep and raise the issue with their pediatrician if there are signs of severe or persistent problems, including insomnia.
Helping children sleep often starts with creating a bedroom environment that is peaceful, quiet, and comfortable. Having an appropriate mattress and minimizing distractions, such as from TV or other electronic devices, can make it easier for children of any age to get consistent sleep.
Establishing healthy sleep habits, including a stable sleep schedule and pre-bed routine, can reinforce the importance of bedtime and cut down on night-to-night variability in sleep. Giving children an opportunity to use up their energy during the day and to unwind before bedtime can make it easier for them to fall asleep and stay asleep through the night.
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