Sleep Needs For Children

Thanks to everyone who came out for the free seminar in honor of Psychology month on Wednesday “Getting your child to sleep and stay asleep.” It almost felt like a support group! Everyone had such common concerns, and I think most parents who have difficult sleepers probably do. I know it would have made me fee better when my son was a baby, to know there were so many other parents with similar experiences. For some reason, whenever I complained other parents would say to me “oh really? My baby has been sleeping through the night since she was 6 weeks old!” I have finally come to the conclusion that most of those parents were fibbing at least a little bit.  Since I started telling people I’ve been investigating sleep and writing a “how-to” book for parents, people have been coming out of the woodworks with the same problems!

Probably the most important thing parents should know and learn to figure out in their own child is what the sleep needs are. Sleep experts indicate that on average (so some need more and some need less) children 3 and under need around 13 hours of sleep per day (including naps), and from 3-18 it’s around 9-10 hours. Further, optimal bedtimes are between 6-8 pm, with 8 being on the late side for young kids. Just by getting your kid to bed and to sleep at the right time can lengthen their sleep and reduce nightly wake ups. My kids are currently both in bed by 6 pm. It’s early, but they are ready, already getting cranky, my 3 year old is starting to misbehave, etc. and then they sleep a solid 13 hours. If my 3 year old goes to bed at 7, he’s just not quite himself the next day, wakes up at the same time in the am if not earlier, and only ends up with 11-12 hours. And then I pay for it all day. So if you can, take a look at getting your children to bed a little earlier, and all sleep a little easier for it.