Sleep... Not Always a Lullaby

Sleep has the power to refresh, relieve, sustain and energize. But, when you don’t get enough sleep, it can begin to create problems. As many as 40 million people - including children - may suffer from chronic or intermittent sleep disorders. So, it’s important to teach your children good sleep habits.

This information was produced by the Carle Regional Sleep Disorders Center to help you better understand if your child’s sleep patterns are part of normal child development or something you might need to discuss with your child’s doctor. It also provides helpful hints on how to establish good sleep habits.

How Much Sleep Does My Child Need?

Although there is some variation in the amount of sleep each child seems to require, the following is a general guide for comparison.

Infants (ages 0 - 12 months)

Newborns may sleep as much as 20 hours a day, but their sleep periods are brief and irregular. By the time infants are six months old, most will sleep five or six hours at a time during the night.

Toddlers (ages 1 - 3)
Between the ages of one to three years, most children will change from taking two naps a day to taking one nap a day. On average, a one year old will sleep close to 14 hours a day, including naps. By age three, however, sleep time decreases to about 12 hours a day.

Preschoolers (ages 4 - 5)
Most preschoolers will stop taking naps and will sleep about 11 hours at night.

Grade-schoolers (ages 6 - 12)
A solid ten hours of sleep is common among children ages six to 12.

Teenagers (ages 13 - 18)
The average teen in the U.S. only gets 7 ½ hours of sleep. However, new research shows that 9 to 9 1/2 hours of sleep is the ideal amount of sleep that a teenager’s brain and body need.

It isn’t until ages 18 - 20 that the adult norm of seven to eight hours of sleep is reached.

What Happens If My Child Doesn’t Get Enough Sleep?

The National Commission of Sleep Disorders Research was established by Congress to study sleep problems, including the effects of lack of sleep. We are now beginning to understand more about the value of sleep, based on new research. Lack of sleep can cause irritability, decrease attention span and decrease alertness-all of which can impact your child’s lifestyle both at home and at school.

My Child Won’t Go To Sleep!

Struggling with children at bedtime frustrates many parents. However, following these simple tips may help:

  • Engage your child in quiet, late-evening activities such as reading. Read to a young child; have an early school age child read to you; or have the older child read to herself. Video games and television often stimulate children, making it harder to get them to sleep.
  • Establish and follow a bedtime routine for your child.
  • Set regular nap times and bed times.
  • Don’t let your children have soda and chocolate, or other snacks that may have caffeine, if they have problems sleeping.

How do I Know if my Child has a Sleep Disorder?

Sleep apnea, narcolepsy and restless legs syndrome are sleep disorders that can occur in children. Some of these sleep problems can run in families. However, parents who have a sleep disorder may not recognize sleep problems because they think irregular sleep is normal.

The following are signs that may indicate that your child has a sleep disorder that should be medically evaluated.

  • Falling asleep during class
  • Snoring with periods of stopped breathing
  • Repeated jerks during sleep
  • A family history of Restless Legs Syndrome (in a child who does not sleep well)

If your child has any of these symptoms, or does not respond to the sleep hygiene tips in this brochure, his or her doctor should evaluate him or her.

If your child requires a medical evaluation for a sleep disorder, your doctor may refer him or her to Carle’s Sleep Center. Accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Carle’s Sleep Center has skilled, board-certified physicians, a highly trained staff, as well as state-of-the-art equipment.

For More Information

For more information about sleep disorders in children, the following publications may be of assistance:

  1. Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, by Marc Weissbluth, MD (Fawcett Columbine).
  2. How to Sleep Like a Baby, Wake up Refreshed and Get More Out of Life, by Dianne Hales (Ballantine Books).
  3. How to Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems, by Richard Ferber, MD (Simon & Schuster).