How much sleep do children need?

AS PARENTS, we all know that growing children need good sleep, but many of us don’t know just how many hours children require, and what impact the lack of sleep can have on them. There is scientific evidence to show that babies, children, and teens need significantly more sleep than adults to support their rapid mental and physical development. Children who do not get enough sleep are at risk for a wide range of mental and physical problems.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, in conjunction with the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, recommends how much sleep children need (including naps) at different ages and stages of development:

Infants four to 12 months: 12 to 16 hours of sleep every 24 hours.

Children one to two years: 11 to 14 hours of sleep every 24 hours.

Children three to five years: 10 to 13 hours of sleep every 24 hours.

Children six to 12 years: Nine to 12 hours of sleep every 24 hours.

Teens 13 to 18 years: Eight to 10 hours of sleep every 24 hours.

Regular sleep deprivation often leads to difficult behaviour and

health problems such as obesity, headaches, hypertension, inattention, irritability and depression. When children get their required hours of sleep for their age on a daily basis, they thrive well with better behaviour, better learning, memory, emotional health and overall quality of life.

Therefore, we encourage parents to ensure their children develop good sleep habits right from the beginning. Be a role model to your child. Making sleep a priority for yourself shows your child that it is part of living a healthy lifestyle, just like eating right and exercising regularly. Try and stick to a healthy sleep routine. Create a sleep-supportive environment with dim lights and the right temperature just before bedtime. Keep the bed free of toys and gadgets. Do not put your baby to bed with bottle of milk or juice in it. Do not start solid food earlier than six months of age, because it can disrupt the sleep due to tummy ache. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends all screens be turned off at least 30 minutes before bedtime and suggests keeping televisions, computers, smartphones and other screens out of children’s bedrooms.

Recognise sleep problems such as snoring, difficulty falling asleep, resisting going to bed, breathing difficulties during sleep, and daytime tiredness. Talk to the teacher about your child’s behaviour, level of attention, alertness and learning at school. It is recommended that you talk to your paediatrician about your child’s sleep habits and problems, if you recognise any.