You asked

How much sleep does my child need?

Getting the right amount of sleep is vital to a child’s physical and mental development.

Many parents believe that if their child stays up late and wakes up early that they just do not require as much sleep as other children. This is not true. Children need a lot of sleep. If your child falls into this category, ask yourself these questions:

Is your child cranky, or easily irritated during the day?
Does your child fall asleep every time he rides in the car?
Do you have to wake your child up in the morning?
On occasion, does your child fall asleep earlier than their bedtime?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are that your child could be sleep deprived.

Here are the general recommended amounts of sleep that children require at different ages.

1 month – 8 ½ hours per night and 7 hours per day
3 months - 10 hours per night and 5 hours per day
6 months - 11 hours per night and 3 ¼ hours per day
9 months - 11 hours per night and 3 hours per day
12 months - 11 ¼ hours per night and 2 ½ hours per day
18 months - 11 ¼ per night and 2/ ¼ hours per day
 2 years - 11 hours per night and 2 hours per day
 3 years - 10 ½ hours per night and 1 ½ hours per day

After the age of 3, naps become more difficult and will eventually stop. From age 3 up until preschool, your child will still require at least 11 hours of sleep per night.  After this age, the amount required will begin to diminish.

If you feel that your child is not getting the recommended amount of sleep, you may want to alter what you’re doing to encourage good sleep habits.

More questions

The best way for your child to sleep well is to develop a daily routine
If you can’t get your toddler to sleep through the night then it may be necessary to adjust his or her nap times during the day
Different children nap for different lengths of time at different times of the day but the most important factor is daily routine and consistency
There are many reasons you’re toddler may not be sleeping but also many simple solutions for this frustrating problem
When and how to make the transition from crib to bed
Benefits of having the right lighting in your little one’s room at bedtime
A guideline to knowing how much sleep your child needs and ensuring he or she is well rested
Great tips for making sleep sharing work for you and your baby
How to make sure your toddler is sleeping until the right time
There is no set time to move your child from the cot to a toddler bed although most children make the transition between 1½ to 3½ years of age.

Latest

Trending