When my first five children were little, not that all of them are that old now, but when they were little we had a pretty strict naptime/bedtime routine for them. I know they got enough sleep because they were happy, healthy, were active and did not have bags beneath their eyes. Well, now that we are have eight children and teenagers in the house things are much different. Bedtimes are later, the older ones have a tendency to keep the younger ones awake and on and on. It became such an issue because I began noticing dark circles under my little ones’ eyes and it disturbed me, so much so that I did a little research to see remind myself of the sleep requirements for children.
Here’s what I found out:
Babies to six months need about 16-20 hours of sleep a day. That’s a no brainer due to the simple fact that we all know babies sleep a lot!
Babies six months to a year need 9-11 hours of sleep each night and 3 hours worth of naps.
Toddlers ages 1-3 years need about 10-13 hours of sleep, which includes their naps, and naps will vary in length and from child to child. Mine still took two naps up until about 15-18 months and gradually moved to one nap (with the exception o my younger three who have been all over the place due to our schedule and daily activities!)
Children ages 3-5 generally need 10-12 hours of sleep and this is where there was a lack in my preschoolers due to the fact they were bunking in with their older sisters, who happened to stay up later. That is when we decided to change sleeping arrangements so the younger children could get the sleep they needed. My preschoolers will often take a nap a few times a week, especially if we are out running errands or what not.
Elementary aged children require about the same as preschoolers, but will not usually be napping if they have their 10-12 hours of sleep at night.
Teens vary, but generally speaking 8-10 hours of sleep is usually sufficient for most. I know one of my younger sisters was in bed before the rest of us all through junior and senior high. She just required more sleep and was in much better spirits because of it!
We all require adequate rest for our health and happiness. If your child is grumpy lately, a good place to start looking for the reason behind the foul moods is the amount of sleep he or she is getting, unless he or she is teething like my little guy! If that does not solve the problem, look elsewhere or perhaps it is time to consult with your health care provider for their opinion.
Resources:
http://www.provena.org/stjoes/body.cfm?id=839
http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sleep/sleep.html
