How Many Hours Of Sleep Does Your Child Need? – Being Parents
Good sleep habits should start during your baby’s first days. Remember that infants, children and teens need more hours of sleep than adults.
If you are wondering how many hours of sleep your child needs, you need to take into account their age, but also the physical activity they do during the day.
When a child does not get enough sleep, it is their daily activities that suffer. School performance, family relationships and the manifestation of emotions can be affected by lack of rest.
Here’s a quick guide to help you recap how many hours of sleep your child needs based on their age.
Good habits: knowing how many hours of sleep your child needs
From 1 to 4 weeks: between 3 and 4 p.m. per day
Newborns need a lot of sleep and sleep most of the day with short intervals of two to four hours. At this stage, sleep patterns are still being established, as the baby’s body is regulating itself.
Sleep patterns have nothing to do with day and night. It should also be noted that premature babies need more time to sleep.
From 1 to 4 months: between 14 and 15 hours per day
Around the 6 weeks of the baby, changes in behavior appear. Its adaptation to the outside world means that the periods of sleep become more regular; they become longer. From the first month, your baby should sleep 4 to 6 hours at night at night.
From 4 to 12 months: between 12 and 14 hours per day
While it is normal for your baby to sleep 15 hours a day, the majority of infants get 12 hours of sleep. At this point you need to start strengthening your healthy sleeping routine.
The social development of the baby changes enormously during this stage, the periods of sleep are the same as that of adults. It is from this point on that it is important to know how many hours of sleep your child needs.
From 1 to 3 years: between 10 to 14 hours per day
From a year and a half, your child will need to take fewer naps during the day. Indeed, it is even possible that one in the afternoon is sufficient. This can last between 1 to 3 hours and at night between 8 and 10 hours. Toddlers at this stage sleep about 10 hours on average.
From 3 to 6 years old: between 9 and 12 hours per day
Children between 3 and 6 years old should go to bed between 7 and 9 p.m. The time to wake up should be around 7 a.m. From that age on, children should no longer take naps, or if they do, they should be very short.
From 7 to 12 years old: between 9 to 11 hours per day
School life, games and social relationships mean that children at this time go to bed later. Children aged 11-12 should go to bed around 9 p.m.
Total rest time should be around 9 hours a day. At this point, it is imperative that the family dynamic is discipline and order, and that also goes for bedtime. Parents must adapt the rest time according to the activities carried out during the day.
From 12 to 18 years old: between 8 and 9 hours per day
Getting enough sleep during this stage is as important as during the previous stages. Indeed, sleep is comforting and is a source of well-being.
If any symptoms appear during this time, it is important to treat them immediately. As children enter their teenage years, their activities and the length of their daily chores vary.
Being able to get full rest is just as important as eating a healthy diet. If you think your kids are not having good sleep habits, now is the time to take action.
A balanced diet, a moderate daily exercise routine, and a well-defined rest schedule are all you need to get a good night’s sleep.
If you find yourself in a situation where you cannot find a solution, do not hesitate to consult a specialist. He will be able to tell you the number of hours of sleep your child needs depending on his age and daily activities.
