Your child’s sleep requirements: how much sleep do kids need?

Children go through various development stages in their lives, and their sleep requirements change as they go through these. Sleep is particularly important for healthy development in the first few years of life. In order for their body and mind to regenerate and grow, it is essential that children get enough sleep – but how much is ‘enough’?

In this sleep table, you can find the average or recommended sleep duration for children in certain age groups:

Actual sleep requirements may vary slightly from child to child, but parents should nevertheless still keep track of how long their child sleeps to ensure they are getting enough.

Newborn babies need a lot of sleep – up to 17 hours a day. At the age of 4 to 12 months, the time spent sleeping is reduced to around 12 to 16 hours. Here, it is important that they are having several sleeps rather than getting all of their sleep at once. If your child’s sleep regularly deviates from the recommended times, you should consult your paediatrician.

As kids get older, their need for sleep continues to decrease. At the age of one to three, many children only sleep 10 to 14 hours a day and their sleep routine gradually stabilises. They often develop fixed sleeping habits, such as a daytime nap. Once they reach nursery age, kids often stop taking naps but sleep longer at night.

Schoolchildren aged 7 to 13 generally need between 9 and 11 hours of sleep per night. Starting school and other activities usually results in specific bedtimes becoming established during this stage, which often continues into their teenage years – and that’s a good thing!

Young people between the ages of 14 and 17 should continue to sleep for 8 to 10 hours a night, since this is an intensive stage of development. If they’re often getting less sleep due to school or social commitments, there’s absolutely no shame as a parent in letting them sleep longer at the weekend.

As children get older and their need for sleep decreases, bedtime becomes a hotly debated topic in many families. The ideal bedtime depends primarily on the child’s morning commitments. Many parents whose child is not attending nursery or school choose to let them go to bed later so they themselves can sleep a little longer in the morning.

Nevertheless, there are still recommendations for when children should go to bed:

• Babies and toddlers (0–3 years old) should ideally go to bed between 6 pm and 7:30 pm so that they can meet their high sleep requirements – especially once they start going to nursery.

• Pre-school children (4–6 years old) should go to bed between 7 pm and 8 pm to get enough sleep for the next day.

• Schoolchildren (7–13 years old) should go to bed between 8 pm and 9 pm, depending on what time they wake up in the morning.

• Teenagers (14–17 years old) often have a more irregular sleep pattern. It is advisable to set their bedtime between 9 pm and 10 pm to ensure that they get enough sleep.

What’s important is that every child has a set sleep routine. Having specific bedtimes helps the body to relax and fall asleep more easily after a certain time – and that applies not only to children, but also to adults.

As a parent, it is important to pay attention to your child’s individual sleep habits – because while some children need a little more rest, others can get by with one to two hours less sleep. You should therefore keep an eye on how your child behaves during the day: do they often appear to be absent-minded, do they have difficulty concentrating or do they become increasingly irritable as the day progresses?

While eye rubbing and red cheeks are very clear signs of tiredness in babies and toddlers, the behaviours listed above may indicate sleep deprivation in older children.

If you notice that your child is often overtired, it is best to make adjustments to their daily routine. Sometimes it helps to set their bedtime a little earlier and create a more peaceful sleeping environment. A healthy bedtime routine can also help your child to fall asleep more easily. For example, before your child goes to sleep, you could read them a book, put on some soft music or let them tell you about their day.

If your child isn’t getting enough sleep, this can have a long-term impact on their health. Tiredness, difficulty concentrating and irritability are just some of the potential consequences of sleep deprivation. It’s therefore advisable to make sure your child gets the recommended amount of sleep and to provide them with enough physical activity and mental stimulation during the day so that they are tired in the evening.

If your child regularly sleeps much longer than recommended, this may indicate illness, such as an infection or problems with the thyroid gland. In this case, check for additional symptoms such as fever or fatigue and consult a doctor if necessary.

If you’d like to take matters into your own hands and ensure that your child is getting a healthy amount and decent quality of sleep, you can consider the following tips:

• Establish a sleep routine: set bedtimes and regular, relaxing bedtime rituals help them to fall asleep and stay asleep.

• Create a relaxing sleeping environment: a dark space, a comfortable room temperature of approx. 18°C, comfortable, breathable pyjamas and a quiet, uncluttered environment all contribute to a restful night’s sleep.

• Limit naps: as your child gets older, make sure they aren’t taking naps that are too long or too late in the day so that they can sleep better at night.

• Reduce screen time: avoid letting your child spend time in front of the TV or tablet just before bedtime, as this can make it harder for them to fall asleep.

As you can see, children’s sleep requirements vary depending on their age and stage of development. To ensure your child sleeps well, it is advisable to follow the recommendations in the children’s sleep table and introduce routine bedtimes. Remember: getting a sufficient amount of good-quality sleep is not only important for your child’s physical health, but also for their mental well-being and ability to function.

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