September 16, 2022

How Much Sleep Your Kids Need: Recommendations by Age

From newborn through their teen years, your child’s sleep needs will change

Child sleeping in bed holding teddy bear.

If one thing is for sure about kids, it’s that they go through a lot of phases. Quickly.

Advertisement

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

Remember the month they would only wear that one unicorn shirt? That time they insisted all food must be dunked in ketchup? The never-ending week when that toy microphone was in their hand 24/7 … until the charging cable “mysteriously” disappeared?

Something that remains constant for kids (and adults), though, is the importance of getting enough sleep. But how much sleep do kids need? Well, that’s another one of those phases. As kids change, so, too, do the recommendations for how much sleep they should get, and why.

We talked with pediatric sleep specialist Vaishal Shah, MD, about how much sleep kids need at various ages and how sleep impacts childhood development.

How many hours is enough?

Sleep is vital to kids’ healthy development and a healthy lifestyle.

Research shows that kids who get enough sleep show improvements in:

  • Attention.
  • Behavior.
  • Learning.
  • Memory.
  • Emotional regulation.
  • Mental health.
  • Physical health.
  • Overall quality of life.

As Dr. Shah says, “Sleep is the best medicine. It’s free, has no detrimental side effects and requires no prior authorization from your insurance company.”

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends a certain number of hours each age group — from babies to teenagers — should sleep in 24 hours.

Age range
Babies (4 to 12 months)
Recommended sleep
12 to 16 hours, including naps
Toddlers (12 to 24 months)
Recommended sleep
11 to 14 hours, including naps
Preschoolers (3 to 5 years)
Recommended sleep
10 to 13 hours, may include a nap
School-aged kids (6 to 12 years)
Recommended sleep
9 to 12 hours
Teenagers (13 to 18 years)
Recommended sleep
8 to 10 hours

“Rather than starting with when bedtime should be, consider when your children need to wake up and what they need to do that next day,” Dr. Shah suggests. “Start with the wake-up time and count backward to come to an appropriate bedtime.”

Newborns (0 to 3 months)

Average sleep range: 11 to 17 hours per day

In the first few months of life, newborns are just going to do what they do best. They’ll sleep, wake up, eat, poop, look cute and start the cycle over again without much care as to the difference between day and night.

“In those early months, a baby’s brain does not have what we call circadian rhythm, which is the ability to differentiate between night and day,” Dr. Shah explains. “Around six months, we start seeing them develop a difference in their nighttime versus daytime sleep patterns.”

Advertisement

The Pediatric Sleep Council says most babies this age will sleep about 11 to 17 hours per day. Because sleep at this stage varies so widely and is spread more evenly during the day and night, there isn’t a standard recommendation for how long newborns need to sleep.

Take care to keep your newborn’s sleep environment safe: Don’t share your bed and keep bumpers and other accessories out of their crib.

Babies (4 to 12 months)

Recommended sleep duration: 12 to 16 hours, including naps

Once they start figuring out the difference between days and nights, your baby will start to fall into a sleep rhythm, and you can start to encourage a more regular sleep schedule. At this age, you’ll want to calculate the number of hours devoted to night sleep plus naps toward the recommended hours of sleep.

“Generally at this age, night sleep lasts about six to eight hours, plus a shorter second chunk of sleep. The rest of the sleep time is during naps,” Dr. Shah says. “Some kids at this age will take one nap. Some will take two or three. We see a wide variation in real life. That’s OK, as long as they’re happy, healthy and getting to that total number of hours.”

Also, around 6 to 12 months old, most babies don’t need to be fed at night, unless they have a medical condition that makes it necessary. As long as your baby is healthy, you can start to wean them from nighttime feeding at this age.

Toddlers (12 to 24 months)

Recommended sleep duration: 11 to 14 hours, including naps

As your toddler starts walking and talking, their sleep needs will change some more. Toddlers are likely to start taking fewer naps or shorter naps — likely just one per day — and catching more ZZZs during the night.

Many children this age cling tightly to routine. Establishing gentle but firm boundaries, consistent routines and positive reinforcement around sleep at this age will help them get the sleep they need, Dr. Shah says.

Preschoolers (3 to 5 years)

Recommended sleep duration: 10 to 13 hours, may include a nap

Around this time, your child will likely start to drop that afternoon nap. During this transition, most families find that cutting out naps is a gradual process.

Advertisement

“Between around 3 and 5 — and sometimes a little bit earlier — naps start fading away, so most of their sleep starts going to nighttime,” Dr. Shah says. “Naps can become infrequent at this age. They may nap on alternate days, or sometimes, they’ll nap for a few days but not on other days. During this transition, even if the child doesn’t nap, it’s a good idea to have them take some quiet time in the afternoon to relax and recharge.”

If your child isn’t napping, remember that may mean pushing bedtime a little earlier to make up for missed naps.

School-aged kids (6 to 12 years)

Recommended sleep duration: 9 to 12 hours

When your child starts going to school, their No. 1 job is to learn. Getting sufficient sleep will go a long way toward keeping them engaged during their classes.

“Kids who aren’t getting enough sleep are more likely to have problems concentrating and behaving appropriately at school,” Dr. Shah states. “Insufficient sleep can affect them in ways that make them fall behind their peers in their classroom performance or in sports or other extracurricular activities.”

Teenagers (13 to 18 years)

Recommended sleep duration: 8 to 10 hours

Teenagers have a lot of demands on their time. Between school, work, extracurricular activities, homework and keeping up with their social calendars, sleep can very easily get pushed to the side. For these reasons and more, Dr. Shah says it’s very common that teens aren’t getting enough sleep.

“Often, I hear teenagers say they feel tired all day but they can’t get enough sleep because they’re super busy. It’s a vicious cycle, though, because often you may be slower because you’re not sleeping enough,” he adds. “So, making time for sleep is really important.”

And as your teenager takes the wheel, a sleep-deprived new driver is a serious cause for concern.

Sleep is one of the most basic of all human experiences. We all need it. And helping your children get enough of it is important to keep them going about their business of learning and growing.

Related Articles

Female swimmer in the water at edge of a pool
December 1, 2023
Can Exercise Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer?

Physical activity and weight management can minimize your chances of getting the disease

Two people standing in the cold.
November 29, 2023
10 Colds Not To Catch This Winter

The flu, RSV, COVID-19, pneumonia and more typically circulate during cold weather months

Parent breastfeeding baby on bed, against the headboard.
November 27, 2023
Looking for Foods To Increase Your Milk Supply? Think Big Picture

No single food will increase your milk, but an overall healthy diet will help

Parent uses manual baby aspirator to open up nasal passages of baby.
November 22, 2023
Prevent Phlegm in Your Baby’s Throat With a Nasal Aspirator

Keeping your baby’s airways clear of mucus helps with breathing and feeding

Two different vaccines and needles displayed in foreground.
November 22, 2023
Which Vaccines Can You Get at the Same Time?

Getting routine vaccinations together can save you time and may be more effective

Muffins and sweetbreads with frosting on trays at bakery.
November 22, 2023
13 Foods That You Didn’t Know Contain Dairy

Be sure to check the labels of common foods like canned tuna, bread, hot dogs and chocolate

Toddler drinking from a cup while at the table during dinner.
November 21, 2023
Toddler Drinks — What Does the Research Say About These Products?

They aren’t unhealthy, but they’re probably a waste of money

person drinking coffee at computer at night
November 15, 2023
Is It Bad To Drink Coffee Late at Night?

Depending on your sensitivity to caffeine, a late-night cup may be just fine

Trending Topics

group of hands holding different beverages
November 14, 2023
10 Myths About Drinking Alcohol You Should Stop Repeating

Coffee won’t cure a hangover and you definitely shouldn’t mix your cocktail with an energy drink

Person applies moisturizer as part of their skin care routine after a shower.
November 10, 2023
Korean Skin Care Routines: What You Need To Know

Focus on the philosophy — replenishing and respecting your skin — not necessarily the steps

glass of cherry juice with cherries on table
November 8, 2023
Sleepy Girl Mocktail: What’s in It and Does It Really Make You Sleep Better?

This social media sleep hack with tart cherry juice and magnesium could be worth a try

Ad