How much sleep do kids need?

Sleep is very important to a child's wellbeing. There's no set amount of sleep that all children of a particular age need, but here's a guide to the approximate hours of sleep they should aim for.

These are hours of sleep based on age, as recommended by the Millpond Children's Sleep Clinic:

1 week

• daytime: 8 hours
• night time: 8 hours, 30 minutes

4 weeks

• daytime: 6 to 7 hours
• night time: 8 to 9 hours

3 months

• daytime: 4 to 5 hours
• night time: 10 to 11 hours

6 months

• daytime: 3 hours
• night time: 11 hours

9 months

• daytime: 2 hours, 30 minutes
• night time: 11 hours

12 months

• daytime: 2 hours, 30 minutes
• night time: 11 hours

2 years

• daytime: 1 hour, 30 minutes
• night time: 11 hours, 30 minutes

3 years

• daytime: 0 to 45 minutes
• night time: 11 hours, 30 minutes to 12 hours

4 years

• night time: 11 hours, 30 minutes

5 years

• night time: 11 hours

6 years

• night time: 10 hours, 45 minutes

7 years

• night time: 10 hours, 30 minutes

8 years

• night time: 10 hours, 15 minutes

9 years

• night time: 10 hours

10 years

• night time: 9 hours, 45 minutes

11 years

• night time: 9 hours, 30 minutes

12 years

• night time: 9 hours, 15 minutes

13 years

• night time: 9 hours, 15 minutes

14 years

• night time: 9 hours

15 years

• night time: 9 hours

16 years

• night time: 9 hours

How lack of sleep can affect children

Evidence shows that night time sleep is just as important as healthy eating and exercise for children to develop. Those who don't get enough sleep are more likely to be overweight or obese. This is because they tend to crave and eat sugary or starchy food during the day to give them energy to stay awake.

The key to how much is enough sleep is whether a child gets up fairly easily in the morning, is alert and happy for most of the day, and is not grumpy.

Younger children who are persistently sleep-deprived seem irritable and overactive, seek constant stimulation and don't concentrate well. Such symptoms can be mistaken for mild ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).

Why are teens always tired?

Trouble getting up on school days, dozing off in class, marathon lie-ins at weekends ... You’d be forgiven for thinking teenagers sleep their lives away.

In fact, the opposite is true. Sleep experts say teens today are sleeping less than they ever have. This is a worry, as there's a link between sleep deprivation and accidents, obesity and cardiovascular diseases.

Physiological changes, social pressures and external factors, such as mobiles and other stimulating gadgets in the bedroom, contribute to late nights and mood swings.

Lack of sleep also affects teenagers' education, as it can leave them too tired to concentrate in class and perform to their best ability in exams.

Teenagers' sleep patterns

Our sleep patterns are dictated by light and hormones. When light dims in the evening, we produce a chemical called melatonin, which gives the body clock its cue, telling us it’s time to sleep.

“The problem is that society has changed,” says Professor Paul Gringras, consultant paediatrician and director of the Evelina Paediatric Sleep Disorder Service at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London.

“Artificial light has disrupted our sleep patterns. Bright room lighting, TVs, games consoles, mobiles, tablets and PCs can all emit enough light to stop the natural production of melatonin.” These are all distractions, which teens may use well into the night.

“That wouldn’t be a problem if there was no need to get up early in the morning for school,” says Professor Gringras.

“The early morning wake-ups mean they’re not getting the average eight to nine hours of sleep. The result is a tired and cranky teenager.”

Several school districts in the US have introduced later start times for pupils in an effort to improve their performance, although results have been mixed.

Sleep problems and the body clock

"Catching up on sleep at weekends isn’t ideal. Late nights and long lie-ins further disrupt the body clock," says Professor Gringras.

In severe cases, an individual’s body clock can be so different to everyone else's that they can’t fall asleep until late at night. This condition is called delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS). It's similar to the feeling of jet lag and is a disorder of the body’s timing system.

Treatment for DSPS includes bright light therapy – such as exposure to a bright light for around half an hour every morning – and chronotherapy, which involves restoring the individual’s natural sleep phase.

“Sometimes we give a small dose of melatonin in the evening, about an hour or so before bedtime,” says Professor Gringras. “Over the long term, this helps to reset the body clock.”

“However tired they feel, they should avoid lie-ins at the weekend. They should get exposure to outdoor light,” he says.

Getting help for sleep problems

A range of services for sleep problems can be accessed through the NHS. Your GP can tell you more about this.

Professor Gringras says: “Your doctor will also be able to give you basic advice on addressing sleep issues and, where appropriate, recommend a sleep clinic.”

Find your local NHS sleep medicine services.

For more advice, see Sleeping tips for teenagers.

Sleep tips for teenagers

Are you having trouble dragging your teenager out of bed in time for school (or even lunchtime!)? If so, follow these tips to help your teenager sleep better.

Talk to your teenager about their sleep problems

Talk to your teenager about anything they're worried about. This will help them to put their problems into perspective and sleep better.

Here's some advice on how to talk to your teenager.

Promote the benefits of good sleep

Emphasise to your teenager the importance of sleep. It has proven advantages for memory and performance. A minimum of eight to nine hours’ good sleep on school nights is recommended for teens.

Find out how much sleep children need.

Exercise for better sleep

It's official – regular exercise helps you sleep more soundly, as well as improving your general health. Teenagers should be aiming for at least 60 minutes every day, including activities such as fast walking and running.

Read more about how much exercise teenagers need.

Cut out the caffeine to beat insomnia

Suggest that your teenager drinks less caffeine (contained in drinks such as cola, tea and coffee). Too much caffeine stops them falling asleep and prevents deep sleep.

Don't binge before bedtime

Let teenagers know that eating too much or too little close to bedtime may prevent sleep, due to an overfull or empty stomach. This can be a cause of discomfort throughout the night.

Read more about good foods to help your digestion.

Bedtime routines are a great sleep aid

Encourage your teenager to have a bedtime routine. Doing the same things in the same order an hour or two before slumber time can help them drift off to sleep.

Use these bedtime routine tips that are guaranteed to send your teenager to sleep.

Is the bedroom sleep-friendly?

Ensure they have a good sleeping environment – ideally a room that is dark, cool, quiet, safe and comfortable. It might be worth investing in thicker curtains or a blackout blind to help insulate against the light of summertime early mornings (and late evenings).

Limit screens in the bedroom

If possible, don't have a mobile, tablet, TV or computer in the bedroom, as the light from the screen interferes with sleep. A music system is preferable.

Get a comfy bed

Ensure teens have a comfortable bed or mattress. If it's time to get a new one, encourage them to choose it.

The Good-Night Guide for Children (PDF, 332kb) from The Sleep Council has tips for teenagers on how to choose the right bed.

Good sleep habits last a lifetime

Remember, habits learned in adolescence often become lifetime habits, so make sure they learn good sleep habits early and they'll last a lifetime.

Here are some simple lifestyle changes that improve sleep.

How TVs, phones and screens spoil kids' sleep

Studies suggest that teenagers aren’t getting enough sleep. Being glued to their mobiles, tablets and other screens may be one reason why.

Just over half of 11 to 17 year olds say they are getting eight or more hours’ sleep a night. Sleep experts say young people in this age group tend to need at least eight hours’ sleep to concentrate at school and to maintain their health and wellbeing.

They reckon that screens and other electronic devices are to blame and advise placing strict limits on the use of TVs, mobile phones or computers in a child's bedroom during the evening. The light from screens can affect how easily children get to sleep, and gadgets can be a constant distraction, stopping children getting the rest they need.

Children need deep sleep

Professor Jim Horne of Loughborough University’s Sleep Research Centre is an expert in sleep deprivation and says children going through puberty and adolescence need to “sleep longer and deeper”.

“It’s a time during which their brains are undergoing major change,” he says. “The brain is undergoing major restructuring and rewiring, and sleep is important for it to recover.

“A poor night’s sleep can interfere with a child’s performance and behaviour the following day. There's a stereotype of teenagers being grumpy and bad-tempered, and that's sometimes due to a lack of sleep.”

“Bedrooms are changing from a place of rest and tranquillity to places where there are lots of things to keep children awake, such as computers and televisions,” says Horne.

“Children are often tempted to take their mobile phone to bed with them and start texting without their mum and dad knowing.

“This distraction means they're not in a relaxed state for good-quality sleep, which can affect their learning.

“I would place firm night-time limits on the use of a television, mobile phone or a computer in their bedroom."

Find tips to help your child get a good night's sleep.

Healthy sleep tips for children

Keeping your child to a regular bedtime routine can be difficult, but it can help to improve the quality of their sleep.

For some children, irregular sleeping hours can be problematic. Setting a regular bedtime schedule can really help children get the right amount of sleep.

Find out how much sleep kids need.

It's important to devise a routine that works for you and your child, and to stick to it.

"Keep regular sleeping hours," says Jessica Alexander of The Sleep Council.

"A bedtime ritual teaches the brain to become familiar with sleep times and wake times,” she says. “It programmes the brain and internal body clock to get used to a set routine.”

Relaxation techniques to aid sleep

Winding down is a critical stage in preparing your child for bed. There are many ways for them to relax:

• A warm (not hot) bath will help their body to reach a temperature where it's most likely to rest.
• Relaxation exercises, such as light yoga stretches, will help to relax their muscles.
• Relaxation CDs work by relaxing the listener with carefully chosen words and gentle hypnotic music and sound effects.
• Reading a book or listening to the radio will relax their mind by distracting it from any worries or anxieties.

Here are some more relaxation tips your teenager can use to prepare them for sleep.

Avoid screens in the bedroom

The bedroom should be a relaxed environment.

Experts say that bedrooms are strongly associated with sleep, but that certain things weaken the association. These include tablet computers, mobiles/smartphones, TVs and other electronic gadgets, light or noise, and a bad mattress or uncomfortable bed.

The light from screens can also affect how easily children get to sleep. Try to keep your child's bedroom a screen-free zone and get them to charge their phones and other devices downstairs. That way they won't be tempted to respond to friends getting in touch late in the evening.

Read more about how keeping your teen's bedroom free of electronic devices can boost their sleep.

Your child's bedroom

“It’s important to create an environment that's favourable for sleep,” says Alexander. “Keep the bedroom just for sleeping."

The bedroom needs to be dark, quiet and tidy. It should smell fresh and be kept at a temperature of 18-24C. Jessica adds: “Fit some thick curtains. If there’s noise outside, consider investing in double glazing or, for a cheaper option, earplugs.”

Getting help with sleep problems

If you have tried these tips, but your child keeps having problems getting to sleep or sleeping through the night, you may feel you could do with more support. You can speak to your GP or health visitor about these worries. They may refer you to a child psychologist or another expert.

Keep a sleep diary

One of the first things they may ask you to do is to keep a sleep diary for your child as part of diagnosing any sleep problems.

“The sleep diary might reveal some underlying conditions that explain sleep problems, such as stress or medication,” says Alexander.

A sleep diary might reveal lifestyle habits or experiences in your child's day-to-day activities that contribute to sleep problems.

It could include answers to the following questions:

• What were your child's sleeping times?
• How long did it take them to get to sleep?
• How many times did they wake up during the night?
• How long did each awakening last?
• How long did they sleep in total?
• Did they do any exercise shortly before going to bed?
• Did they take any naps during the day or evening?
• Has anything made them anxious or upset?

Download a sleep diary.

Sometimes, sleep problems can be a sign of a mental health problem. Read more about symptoms of depression in children.

Your child's sleep needs change when they become a teenager. Read about why teenagers are always tired.