How much sleep does your child need?

We all know how important sleep is for all of us, particularly young people. Most parents know that their child needs plenty of sleep, but how many of us are aware just how many hours this involves per day? Here at Children’s Bed Shop, we understand that giving kids a restful night’s sleep is a necessity, which is why we’ve put together this guide with information on how much sleep your child needs, and some tips on how to help this happen.

1 week to 12 months old

For babies, sticking to a strict sleep schedule is a big priority as it’s so important for their growth and development. The younger the child is, the more sleep they generally need. For newborn babies of a week old, approximately 8 hours sleep is needed in the daytime, and another 8 and 30 minutes in the night - which is sometimes easier said than done if you have a crying baby on your hands!

As babies get older, the time they need to spend sleeping gradually decreases, to 6 to 7 hours in the daytime and 8 to 9 hours in the night for 4 week old babies. By 3 months old, babies will start spending less time sleeping in the day, at 4 to 5 hours day time and 10 to 11 hours night time, which goes down to 3 hours and 11 hours by 6 months of age. At 9 and 12 months old, a 2 hour 30 minute nap is recommended in the day and 11 hours sleep at night. Our selection of nursery cots at Children’s Bed Shop provide the perfect setting for your baby to get some rest!

2 to 3 years old

As children reach toddler age, getting them to sleep can prove more difficult. When they’re not demanding to stay up just a little longer, 2 year old’s should be getting around 1 hour and 30 minutes sleep in the daytime, and 11 and a half hours per night. For 3 year old toddlers, you should aim to get them to nap for about 45 minutes in the day and sleep for 11 and a half to 12 hours at night. If you’re struggling to get toddlers the right amount of rest, there are things you can do, such as creating a relaxing sleep environment and sticking to a sleep schedule.

4 to 8 years old

Once your child has reached the age of 4, they no longer need extra time to sleep during the day. 11 hours and 30 minutes is the recommended amount per night, which gradually goes down to 10 hours and 45 minutes by age 6. At age 7 and 8, around 10 and a half hours is the amount needed, which is why it’s so important to make sure to enforce bedtime schedules that allow for this amount of hours, while still fitting in with getting up early for school.

9 to 16 years old

By age 9, around 10 hours a night is recommended, gradually lowering to 9 hours by age 16. Limiting electronic use before bed, encouraging them to go to bed at a certain time and trying to keep their sleep schedules from getting affected by extra long weekend lie-ins are a few ways you could try to ensure your child or teen gets enough rest.

The information used in this guide was found from NHS choices. To make sure your little one has the best sleep possible, shop our fantastic selection of kids beds and mattresses at Childrens Bed Shop!