How much sleep do children need?

It’s important to remember each child is different BUT there is a recommended amount of sleep so your child has healthy development. Your child might be slightly over or under the recommended amount, and that’s totally fine. No need to panic. Its perfectly healthy. However if your child sleeps a significant amount more or less, then it’s worth talking to a health visitor and a sleep consultant for advice.

How much sleep do babies need?

Babies up until 12 months old usually need around 12-16 hours sleep in a 24 hour period. This is usually broken up into smaller sleep chunks due to babies needing fed so often. It’s not unusual for new born babies to be waking up ever few hours for feeds.

How much sleep do one year olds need?

In total, your one year old should be getting around 11-14 hours sleep in a 24 hour period. This also includes naps during the day. Again, it isn’t unusual for children at this age to reduce their day time naps and (hopefully) sleep for longer periods of time through the night.

How much sleep do two-year-olds need?

Similar to a one-year-old your child should be sleeping for around 11-14 hours in a 24-hour period.

How much sleep does a three to five-year-old need?

For a child this age, its recommended to have anything between 10 – 13 hours sleep. This is usually done all through the night as most children this age won’t need a day time nap.

How much sleep does a six to ten-year-old need?

On average children in this age bracket will need around 9 – 12 hours sleep each night.

How much sleep does an autistic child need?

Autistic children need the same amount of sleep as every other child. However, due to many different reasons up to 80% of autistic children struggle with their sleep. As a result, many are left with sleep deprivation which is detrimental to development. It is really important that sleep solutions are found for every child so they all benefit from a healthy amount of sleep to promote brain development, social development and academic learning (to mention just a few).

Don’t miss out on the valuable sleep you all need. Invest today for your child sleep health and see the benefits for the rest of their lives.