Healthy Sleep Habits
Sleep is just as important to your children's development and well-being as nutrition and physical activity. The amount and quality of sleep we have can affect our safety, how alert we are, as well as our memories, moods, behavior, and learning abilities. Establishing good sleep practices while your children are young will not only benefit you, but it will help them for many years to come.
While it's true that sleep needs vary from one person to another, there are some reasonable, science-based guidelines to help parents determine whether their child is getting the sleep he or she needs to grow, learn, and play.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends the following regarding how much sleep children need during their different stages of development. These numbers reflect the total amount of sleep needed in a 24-hour period, including naps:
Infants (4-12 months of age) – 12-16 hours
Toddlers (1-2 years of age) – 11-14 hours
Preschoolers (3-5 years of age) – 10-13 hours
Grade schoolers (6-12 years of age) – 9-12 hours
Teenagers (13-18 years of age) – 8-10 hours
It might be tempting for parents to think that their children can get by with less sleep than they need, or that they should be able to cope well with a few skipped hours here and there. However, all children thrive on a regular bedtime routine. Regular sleep deprivation often leads to difficult behaviors and health problems — irritability, difficulty concentrating, hypertension, obesity, headaches, and depression. Children who get enough sleep have a healthier immune system, and better school performance, behavior, memory, and mental health.
The AAP supports the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s (AASM) guidelines and encourages parents to make sure their children develop good sleep habits right from the start.
The AASM recommends making sufficient sleep a family priority. Parents are role models for their children in conveying how sleep affects overall health and wellness. Outside of special occasions or circumstances, parents are discouraged from staying up late with their children on a regular basis. Children thrive on routine. Having the same waking time, mealtimes, nap time, play time, and bedtime helps children feel secure and comfortable. Especially for young children, ensuring that their sleep routine can be used anywhere will help them sleep comfortably wherever they are.
According to the AASM, ensuring that your children have interesting and varied activities during the day, including physical activity and fresh air, as well as limiting their screen time (especially in the hour leading up to bedtime,) will help improve their quality of sleep. Prior to bedtime, dim the lights and control the temperature in your home. Your child’s bed should solely be a place to sleep, so keep their bed free of toys and clutter. (However, a special stuffed animal or a security blanket are completely fine for them to have.)
The AAP discourages parents from giving their baby a bottle of juice, milk, or formula when laying them in bed at night. Any liquid in a bottle other than water can lead to early tooth decay. The AAP also discourages starting a baby on solid foods prior to six months of age. This practice could disrupt their digestive system, causing them sleep difficulties.
In addition to completing homework, many children have scheduled evening activities, like sporting events, lessons, and appointments. Overscheduling a child can pose challenges to getting a good night’s sleep. The AASM encourages creating sufficient downtime every evening, so that your child can unwind prior to bedtime.
Sleep-wake cycles begin to shift at the start of puberty. At the same time, many middle and high schools require students to get to school earlier and earlier. (The AAP has been advocating for middle and high schools to delay the start of class to 8:30am or later.) Teenagers need adequate sleep during these formative years of development, so if your teen must be at school at an earlier time, their bedtime may need to be adjusted to compensate for the difference.
The most common sleep problems in children and teenagers include difficulty falling asleep, nighttime awakenings, snoring, stalling and resisting going to bed, and loud or heavy breathing while sleeping. If you begin to recognize that your child is having sleep problems and you are not with your child during the day, speak to your child’s teacher or childcare provider. Inquire about their alertness during the day, if they are having difficulty paying attention, completing assignments, or staying awake while at school or during playtime. Also speak to your child’s pediatrician about your concern with their sleep habits. Most sleep problems are easily treatable. Their pediatrician may recommend that you keep a sleep log and will make additional suggestions about improving your child’s sleep habits.