Children’s sleep needs change significantly as they get older. As they move from toddlers to school age, their sleep becomes increasingly similar to that of adults. In this process, the sleep requirements for young children decline, and that is reflected primarily in a decreased amount of time spent napping during the day.
Even though kids sleep for fewer hours than babies, sleep remains critical to their overall health and development. Lack of sufficient sleep at a young age has been correlated with problems with weight, mental health, behavior, and cognitive performance.
- Toddlers: It is recommended that toddlers between 1 and 2 years old get between 11 and 14 hours of total sleep every day. Their napping decreases compared to infants and frequently accounts for around 1 to 2 hours of daily sleep. Two naps per day is normal at the start of this period, but many older toddlers only take one nap in the afternoon.
- Preschool: Preschool-aged children who are 3 to 5 years old should get around 10 to 13 total hours of sleep per day . During this time, naps may get shorter, or a preschooler may stop napping on a regular basis.
- School-Age: School-age children should sleep for a total of 9 to 12 hours every day. The school-age group includes a wider set of ages, and the individual needs of any given child in this group can vary significantly. Younger school-age children typically need more sleep than those who are in middle school or approaching high school. When children start to go through puberty and enter adolescence, their sleep patterns change markedly, which can give rise to distinct challenges that confront teens and sleep.
