Healthy Sleep Habits
How Many Hours Does Your Child Need?
All children thrive on a regular bedtime routine. From infants and toddlers to school-aged kids and teens, parents want to know how many hours of sleep are recommended. While it’s true that sleep needs vary from one person to another, there are some very reasonable, science-based guidelines to help you determine whether your child is getting the sleep he or she needs to grow, learn, and play.
Childhood Sleep Guidelines
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) provides some helpful guidelines regarding just how much sleep children need at different stages in their development. Keep in mind that these numbers reflect total sleep hours in a 24-hour period. So, if your son or daughter still naps, you’ll need to take that into account when you add up his or her typical sleep hours.
Recommended Amount of Sleep for Pediatric Populations
Regular sleep deprivation often leads to some challenging behaviors and health problems in children including irritability, difficulty concentrating, hypertension, obesity, headaches, and depression. Children who get enough sleep have a healthier immune system, and better school performance, behavior, memory, and mental health.