How Much Sleep Should Children Get?
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Why Sleep?
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Sleeping allows the body and the mind to rest. It also renews the energy in the body so we can be productive, energetic, happy people. However, getting some children to adapt to this particular adage is quite the challenge. In some cases, children act as if they acquire a penchant for staying awake as early as conception. Every child is different, and contrary to belief, some children do not require as much sleep as others.
Babies
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Any parent knows that babies, especially newborns, are sleep a lot more than they are awake. An average newborn sleeps 15 to 18 hours each day, usually only waking when they are hungry or in need of a diaper change. This pattern will generally last until the baby is 5 to 6 weeks old. Once the baby is 6 weeks old he may only sleep 15 hours. This routine can last until he is 4 months old. Four- to 10-month-old babies also will sleep 15 hours a day, but they are more social during this age so the sleeping may be a series of naps. Between 11 and 12 months, the baby will probably only sleep 12 hours each day, after combining naps with the amount of time he sleeps through the night.
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Ages 1 to 5
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Children who fall between the ages of 1 to 5, on average, need 10 to 12 hours of sleep each night. Parents will begin to notice that 1- to 3-year-olds finally get the sleep routine committed to memory. The best results are garnered if the routine stays the same right before bedtime, (i.e. bath, reading book, soft music). 3- to 5-year-olds are considered preschool age. Meaning, some may be enrolled in early childhood education programs so the parents should make sure children get an adequate 10 to 12 hours of sleep.
Time For School
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Every child is different and each one needs a different amount of sleep. For example, a child who is very active with activities and school will not need as much sleep as a child who's less active. According to doctors, children who are in school should get 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night. Meaning, when parents decide on a bedtime they need to take into account what time the child has to get up and how long it usually takes him to drift off to sleep so he will be able to get the needed amount of sleep. Parents, will be able to estimate how many hours their child needs after about a week.
Consideration
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By the time your child is 2 years old, she should be sleeping through the night. The most common reason for waking up before 18 to 24 months is the inability to stay sleep. This is beyond the toddler's control. In some cases, children wake up 5 or 6 times throughout the course of one night. However, they usually will be able to soothe themselves back to sleep without the help of a parent.
Problems Sleeping
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If you child has a problem falling back to sleep on his own you may need to create some kind of sleep ritual. For instance, you can have soft music playing in the room when it is bedtime. Eventually the child will associate this with sleep. Music also can drown out other background noise that may contribute to the child waking up in the night.
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