Colin Snow
Sleep is essential for the mental, emotional, and physical health of both children and adults. However, children need more sleep than adults because they are still growing and developing. The amount of sleep a child needs depends on their age, but it generally ranges from 9 to 17 hours for newborns and decreases as they get older. For example, infants aged 4-12 months need 12-16 hours of sleep, including naps, while school-aged children (6-13 years) require 9-12 hours.
Children who don't get enough sleep may experience various negative consequences, including physical and mental health issues, behavioural problems, impaired learning and memory, and poor academic performance. Therefore, it is crucial for parents and caregivers to ensure that children get sufficient sleep to support their overall well-being and development.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Age group | Recommended sleep hours |
| Newborn (0-3 months) | 14 to 17 hours |
| Infant (4-11 months) | 12 to 15 hours |
| Toddler (1-2 years) | 11 to 14 hours |
| Preschool (3-5 years) | 10 to 13 hours |
| School-age (6-13 years) | 9 to 11 hours |
| Teenagers (14-17 years) | 8 to 10 hours |
| Adults | 7 to 9 hours |
| Effects of sleep deprivation | Physical and mental health issues |
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What You'll Learn
Sleep and brain development
Sleep is essential for the mental, emotional, and physical health of children. It is during sleep that the body releases hormones necessary for growth and development. A single night of insufficient sleep will not affect a child's growth, but in the long term, it could have an impact.
Sleep also helps children's brains process the vast amount of new information they learn every day. A good night's rest allows the brain to function at its best. Scientists believe that the brain remains active during certain periods of sleep, sorting through and storing information from the day. It may also use sleep time to replace needed chemicals.
The amount of sleep children need varies by age. While every child is different, experts recommend that newborns (0–3 months) get 14–17 hours of sleep, including naps. This number decreases as children get older, with infants (4–12 months) needing 12–16 hours, toddlers (1–2 years) requiring 11–14 hours, and preschoolers (3–5 years) needing 10–13 hours, including naps. Once children start school (6–13 years), it is recommended that they get 9–12 hours of sleep a night, and this number decreases further to 8–10 hours for teenagers (14–17 years).
Children who do not get enough sleep may experience a range of negative consequences. They may fall asleep during the day, exhibit hyperactivity (especially younger children), have trouble paying attention and with school work, and display crankiness, irritability, moodiness, and behavioural problems. Lack of sleep can also lead to physical health issues, such as weight gain and a compromised immune system.
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Sleep and physical health
Sleep is integral to the physical health of children. Firstly, children need more sleep than adults because they are in the process of growing. This growth is not just physical but also includes mental development. A good night's rest is how the body recharges after a long day, and lack of sleep can cause physical health issues such as high blood pressure and heart disease.
Deep sleep is when an estimated 75% of the human growth hormone is released. This is also released during exercise. A single night of no sleep will not affect a young person's growth. However, long-term lack of sleep could impact their growth. Sleep also helps keep us healthy. When we sleep, our heart rate and blood pressure go down, meaning our hearts get time to rest and replenish. Sleep also helps the body produce proteins used to fight infection, illness, and stress.
Children who don't get the right amount of quality sleep are more likely to have behavioural problems at school. They might struggle to concentrate, seem irritable, start getting bad grades in school, or not want to go to sports practice. Sleep helps the brain function at its best, and scientists believe that the brain remains active during certain periods of sleep, sorting through and storing information from the day.
The amount of sleep children need varies by age. While every child is different, experts recommend that newborns (0–3 months) get 14–17 hours of sleep, including naps. This gradually decreases as children get older, with infants (4–12 months) needing 12–16 hours, toddlers (1–2 years) needing 11–14 hours, and preschoolers (3–5 years) requiring 10–13 hours. Once children are of school age (6–13 years), it is recommended that they get 9–12 hours of sleep, and this drops to 8–10 hours for teenagers (14–17 years).
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Sleep and mental health
Sleep is integral to mental, emotional, and physical health. Poor sleep can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, and mental health issues. Sleep is also necessary for children as it helps with their development. Kids' brains are inundated with new information every day, so sleep is when their brains process it.
Children are in the process of growing, so they need more sleep than adults. The amount of sleep necessary differs depending on their age. For example, newborns (0-3 months) need 14 to 17 hours of sleep, including naps. In contrast, teenagers (14-17 years) require 8 to 10 hours of sleep.
Children who don't get the right amount of quality sleep are more likely to have behavioural problems at school. Lack of sleep can cause them to struggle with concentration, seem irritable, get bad grades, or not want to participate in extracurricular activities.
Sleep helps keep us healthy. When we sleep, our heart rate and blood pressure go down, giving our hearts time to rest. Sleep also aids the body in producing proteins to fight infection, illness, and stress.
Deep sleep is when an estimated 75% of the human growth hormone is released. While a single night of no sleep will not stunt a young person's growth, it can affect them in the long term.
Sleep is necessary for survival. It allows the body to repair cells and helps us feel rejuvenated when we wake up. As we sleep, our bodies release growth hormones that help regenerate our bones, tissues, and muscles.
The stress of daily life can impact our sleep, and sleep allows our bodies and minds to recover from these mental stressors. Sleep is not only reparative but can also benefit our mental health. It helps our brains process new information and store memories.
The risk of not getting enough quality sleep is severe. Sleep issues can lead to mental health problems like anxiety and depression. They can also affect attention span, memory, and decision-making skills.
Good sleep hygiene is essential for getting a good night's rest. It involves habits and strategies for achieving regular, quality sleep. It's not just about bedtime routines but also daily activities such as diet and caffeine intake.
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Sleep and learning
Sleep is essential for the mental, emotional, and physical health of children. While the short-term effects of sleep deprivation in children include drowsiness and low mood, there are also long-term physical impacts. Children's brains are inundated with new information daily, and sleep is when their brains process it.
Deep sleep is when an estimated 75% of the human growth hormone is released, and this is also released during exercise. A single night of no sleep will not affect a child's growth, but in the long term, it could be impacted. Sleep also helps keep children healthy, as it is when their bodies produce proteins used to fight infection, illness, and stress.
Children who do not get enough sleep are more likely to have behavioural problems at school, and their learning and memory are also affected. Studies have shown that children with insufficient sleep have more mental health and behavioural challenges, including impulsivity, stress, depression, anxiety, aggressive behaviour, and thinking problems. They also have impaired cognitive functions such as decision-making, conflict-solving, working memory, and learning.
Sleep is when the brain sorts through and stores information from the day. It may also be when the brain replaces needed chemicals. Getting enough sleep is important for children to be able to pay attention and concentrate.
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Sleep and weight
Sleep plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy weight in children. Sleep helps children maintain a healthy weight, reduces the risk of obesity, and prevents other harmful physical health issues.
Sleep is integral to mental, emotional, and physical health. A good night's rest is how the body recharges after a long day. Poor sleep can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, and mental health issues. Sleep is also necessary for children as it helps with their development.
Children are in the process of growing, and their brains are inundated with new information every day, so sleep is when their brains process this information. Children require more sleep than adults because they are growing. The amount of sleep necessary differs depending on their age. For example, newborns require 14-17 hours of sleep, while school-aged children require 9-11 hours.
Sleep helps keep us healthy. When we sleep, our heart rate and blood pressure go down, giving our hearts time to rest. Sleep also helps the body produce proteins used to fight infection, illness, and stress.
Deep sleep is when an estimated 75% of human growth hormone is released. A single night of no sleep will not stunt a child's growth, but in the long term, it could be affected.
There is growing evidence that a decline in the duration of sleep that children get is inversely associated with overweight and obesity. Studies have shown that children who sleep for shorter or insufficient durations have a significantly increased risk of being affected by overweight or obesity compared to those who sleep for sufficient durations.
Beyond sleep duration, sleep timing patterns may also contribute to obesity risk. Variable and shifted sleep schedules and evening chronotypes have been linked to adiposity in adults, but less is known about how this affects children.
Biological and behavioral processes have been proposed as mechanisms that may explain the association between sleep and obesity. The timing of eating, dietary intake, obesogenic eating behaviors, and changes in appetite-regulating hormones have been identified as possible mechanisms for sleep-obesity associations and may be promising avenues for future research.
Establishing a regular and consistent sleep schedule early in childhood may enhance metabolic regulation and prime healthier sleep and eating habits in the future.
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Frequently asked questions
The amount of sleep a child needs varies by age. While every child is different, experts recommend that newborns (0–3 months) get 14–17 hours of sleep, including naps. This gradually decreases as they grow older, with infants (4–12 months) needing 12–16 hours, toddlers (1–2 years) needing 11–14 hours, preschoolers (3–5 years) needing 10–13 hours, school-age children (6–13 years) needing 9–12 hours, and teens (14–17 years) needing 8–10 hours.
Lack of sleep can affect children both physically and mentally. They might struggle with concentration, seem irritable, start getting bad grades in school, or not want to go to sports practice. Children who don't get enough sleep are also more likely to have behavioural problems at school.
Signs that your child isn't getting enough sleep include falling asleep during the day, being hyperactive (especially younger children), having trouble paying attention, struggling with school work, being cranky, whiny, irritable, or moody, and having behaviour problems.
