Gina Johnson
How much sleep a child needs depends on their age, temperament, and developmental differences. Newborns sleep the most, with up to 18 hours a day, while infants sleep between 12 and 16 hours a day, including naps. The amount of sleep a child needs decreases as they get older: toddlers should get 11 to 14 hours, preschoolers 10 to 13 hours, and elementary school-aged children 9 to 12 hours.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Newborns | 16-18 hours a day |
| Infants | 12-17 hours a day |
| Toddlers | 11-14 hours a day |
| Preschool-aged children | 10-13 hours a day |
| Elementary school-aged children | 9-12 hours a day |
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What You'll Learn
How much sleep do newborns need?
Newborns sleep a lot, but in very short segments. As a baby grows, the total amount of sleep slowly decreases, but the length of nighttime sleep increases. Generally, newborns sleep about 8 to 9 hours in the daytime and about 8 hours at night, but they may not sleep for more than 1 to 2 hours at a time. Most babies don't start sleeping through the night (6 to 8 hours) without waking until they are about 3 months old, or until they weigh 12 to 13 pounds.
Newborns don't yet have a sense of day and night, so they sleep around the clock. They wake often to eat, no matter the time of day or night. Newborns should get 14 to 17 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period, according to the National Sleep Foundation, although some newborns may sleep up to 18 to 19 hours a day. Newborns wake every couple of hours to eat. Breastfed babies feed often, about every 2 to 3 hours. Bottle-fed babies tend to feed less often, about every 3 to 4 hours.
Newborns sleep in short bursts, known as sleep cycles, which are usually around 20 to 50 minutes long. In the first 3 months of life, babies cry a lot – it's their main way of communicating. From approximately 2 weeks to 3 to 4 months of age, newborns go through a stage of increased crying, which will be at its worst at 6 to 8 weeks of age.
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How much sleep do infants need?
Sleep needs for babies vary depending on their age. Newborns typically sleep 16 to 18 hours a day, including naps, and their sleep is in very short segments. As a baby grows, the total amount of sleep slowly decreases, but the length of nighttime sleep increases. Generally, newborns sleep about 8 to 9 hours in the daytime and about 8 hours at night, but they may not sleep more than 1 to 2 hours at a time. Most babies don't start sleeping through the night (6 to 8 hours) without waking until they are about 3 months old, or until they weigh 12 to 13 pounds. From 3 to 6 months, about two-thirds of babies are able to sleep through the night on a regular basis.
Newborns often nap during the day, with each nap lasting between one and four hours. Although total nap time decreases as they get older, it is typical for infants to continue to nap for 2 to 3 hours or more each day.
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How much sleep do toddlers need?
It is recommended that toddlers between one and two years old get between 11 and 14 hours of sleep every day. This includes naps, which can account for one to two hours of daily sleep. At the start of this period, two naps per day is normal, but many older toddlers only take one nap in the afternoon.
Toddlers need a decent amount of sleep in a 24-hour period. Without it, they are more likely to have behavioural issues, eat poorly, and find it harder to fall asleep.
Some toddlers sleep for longer than the recommended amount. For example, one parent on Reddit reported that their two-year-old sleeps from 7 pm to 7 am and then takes a nap from 12 pm to 3 pm. Another parent on the same thread said their daughter sleeps for seven to eight hours and doesn't nap anymore.
Preschool-aged children who are three to five years old should get around 10 to 13 hours of sleep per day. During this time, naps may get shorter, or a preschooler may stop napping regularly.
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How much sleep do preschool-aged children need?
Preschool-aged children need 10 to 13 hours of sleep each day. This includes toddlers, who need 11 to 14 hours of sleep, and children who are approaching school age, who need 9 to 12 hours of sleep.
The amount of sleep a child needs can vary depending on their age, temperament, and developmental differences. For example, newborns typically sleep 16 to 18 hours a day, while infants sleep 12 to 16 hours a day, including naps.
It's important for children to get enough sleep, as a lack of sleep can cause them to have trouble functioning during the day and settling at night. Napping can be beneficial for memory and thinking, especially for toddlers and preschool-aged children.
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How much sleep do school-aged children need?
The amount of sleep a child needs depends on their age, temperament, and developmental differences. School-aged children should sleep for a total of 9 to 12 hours every day. This includes a wide set of ages, and the individual needs of any given child in this group can vary significantly. Younger school-aged children typically need more sleep than those who are in middle school or approaching high school. When children start to go through puberty and enter adolescence, their sleep patterns change markedly, which can give rise to distinct challenges. For many kids, it is normal to take naps, especially when they are toddlers and preschool-aged. During these years, napping may continue to provide benefits for memory and thinking.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) offers recommendations for children’s total daily sleep needs by age group. The Pediatric Sleep Council says most babies will sleep about 11 to 17 hours per day. Once children start figuring out the difference between days and nights, they’ll begin to fall into a sleep rhythm.
It’s important to ensure that children get enough sleep. Those who don’t may have trouble functioning during the day and may find it hard to settle at night.
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Frequently asked questions
Newborns typically sleep between 16 and 18 hours a day, for 3 to 4 hours at a time.
Infants sleep between 12 and 16 hours a day, including naps.
Toddlers should get between 11 and 14 hours of sleep a day, including naps.
