Children and Sleep
Posted on Monday, March 23rd, 2009 at 11:04 pmWhy Sleep Matters
Sleep is as important to our health and well being as food and water, but most of us don’t get enough of it. Sleep deprivation is currently one of the most pervasive health concerns in the United States. For children , sleep plays a critical role in healthy growth and development . Beyond simply affecting children’s mood, behaviors and academic performances, insufficient sleep has also been associated with lower social skills and learning disabilities.
How Much Sleep is Enough?
When experts study sleep needs of children , they consider the amount of sleep children need in a 24-hour period, including naps. Since every child is different, sleep charts are not exact; however, there are some agreed-upon ranges for chilren of different ages.*
- Birth to 6mos. : 10-18 hrs of sleep per day
- 6mos. - 2years : 11-16 hrs. per day
- 3yrs : 10-14 hrs. per day
- 4-6 years: 9-14 hrs. per day
- 7-9 years: 9-12 hrs per day
- 10-12 yrs.: 8-11 hrs. per day
(* from Iglowstein I., Jenni O.G., Molinari L., R.H. 2003 Sleep deprivation from infancy to adolescences: Reference values and generational trends. Pediatrics.)
Do these numbers suprise you? Is so you are not alone. Most parents are unaware of just how much sleep their children require in a 24 hr. period.
