Why is sleep important for children?

Children need sleep to feel awake during the day and to be alert enough to do their normal activities. Sleep is also important for keeping their bodies healthy. For example, sleep:

• Helps babies and children grow – This is because the body releases more growth hormone during sleep than during the day.

• Helps children learn information and form memories – As they sleep, a child's brain processes and stores information and experiences from when they were awake.

• Can help lower a child's risk of getting sick, and help them get better faster when they are sick

• Helps the body build muscles and repair cells and tissues

Not getting enough sleep can have negative effects on children. These can include:

• Behavior problems, and trouble managing emotions

• Poor school performance

• Trouble with attention and decision-making

• Feeling irritable, anxious, or depressed

• Relationship problems, especially for children and teens

How much sleep do children need?

General recommendations for sleep time (including nighttime sleep and naps) are:

• Newborns (0 to 3 months) – 14 to 17 hours a day

• Infants (4 to 11 months) – 12 to 15 hours a day

• Toddlers (1 to 2 years) – 11 to 14 hours a day

• Preschool-aged children (3 to 5 years) – 10 to 13 hours a day

• School-aged children (6 to 13 years) – 9 to 11 hours a day

• Teens (14 to 17 years) – 8 to 10 hours a day

How do bedtime routines help children?

Bedtime routines can help a child relax and fall asleep. The routine is more important than the specific activities it includes.

A bedtime routine might include:

• A nighttime snack before starting to get ready for bed

• Taking a bath, brushing teeth, and putting on pajamas

• Calm activities like reading, playing quietly, listening to soothing music, or talking with the child. If the child is young, try to do these activities together. It is best not to let them look at screens (including TVs, tablets, and smartphones) before bed. Looking at screens can make it harder to fall asleep.

• Keeping the sleeping area dark, cool, and quiet. If the child is scared of the dark, use a dim nightlight.

Also, make sure the child gets plenty of physical activity during the day. This helps them be ready to sleep at night.

Many children try to delay going to bed. This can happen at naptime, at bedtime, or in the middle of the night. If this happens:

• Be firm and consistent. Follow the same rules each time the child goes to bed.

• If the child tries to delay bedtime or acts fussy, calmly remind them of the rules.

• Do not argue or make "deals." Giving the child this kind of extra attention is likely to make them try to avoid going to bed again.

• You can give the child 1 "bedtime pass" card. The card lets them leave their room once to go to the bathroom, get a drink, or have 1 more hug. This gives them some control and lets them decide what is important.

How can I get a child to sleep in their own bed?

Do not let babies sleep in the same bed as adults or other children. This is not safe for a baby.

After a child is 1 year old, some families choose to share a bed with the child for personal or cultural reasons. Other families let the child sleep separately in their own bed. Either is fine, but it can be hard to change a child's habits. If you want a child to sleep in their own bed, it's best to start this when they are young, and be consistent.

Is it normal for children to wake up during the night?

Yes. Everyone, including children, wakes up briefly several times each night. It is important that a child can go back to sleep on their own.

Night-time waking can be a problem when the child needs another person to help them fall asleep again. Some children learn to associate things like being held, rocked, or taking a bottle with falling asleep. Then, if they wake during the night, they might want those same things to fall back asleep.

You can help a child learn to fall asleep on their own. For example, you can:

• Rock or hold babies until they get sleepy. Then, put them in their crib while they are drowsy but still awake. This helps them learn to fall asleep on their own.

• You can lie down with a toddler or older child at bedtime and stay until they start to get drowsy. But get up and say goodnight before they fall asleep. This way, they learn to go to sleep on their own.

• Give toddlers and older children a special blanket, stuffed animal, or other soft item while falling asleep. This can help them feel safe. You can also give them an idea of something they might want to think about as they fall asleep, like floating on a cloud or lying on a beach.

• Teach older children how to pull up their own covers.

• If the child falls asleep to music, teach them how to turn the music on again if they wake up in the night.

• If the child gets up and comes to your bed, walk them back to their own bed. Use a soft voice, and remind them they have their own bed to sleep in. Always do this quietly and calmly, even if you are annoyed they woke you up. Make this interaction calm and boring. This way, they will learn they will not get extra attention by coming to your bed at night.

• Recognize the child's progress, and praise them for it. They might have trouble falling back asleep on their own the first few nights you try this, but if you stay consistent, they will get used to it.

How can I help a child who wakes up too early?

Babies and young children often wake up earlier in the day than the other people at home.

To help a child learn to sleep a little later or stay in their bed in the morning:

• Consider adjusting the timing and length of naps. This lets the child get more of their sleep at night.

• Use curtains or shades to keep the sleeping area dark. Try to keep the area quiet, too. A white noise machine can help block outside noises.

• If the child has an early bedtime, try moving it 15 minutes later every few days. This might help them get the right amount of sleep, but not get up as early. But do not keep children up later than normal to try to get them to sleep later the next morning. This often does not work. Also, children who are overtired often wake more frequently at night.

• Teach children about wake-up time. The day does not have to start just because the child is awake.

• If the child wakes early, calmly and quietly check on them to make sure they are OK, and have not soiled their diaper or gotten sick. Keep the light off, and tell them it is not time to wake up and they should go back to sleep. Tuck them in again, and leave the room.

• Help a child learn to play quietly in their bed. After an older child has fallen asleep in their bed, place some books or other quiet toys nearby. When they wake in the morning, there will be something to play with.

What if a child is having trouble sleeping when they are sick?

When a child is sick, they might sleep more or wake more often. Try not to worry about how much sleep a child gets while they are sick.

To help a child get rest while they are sick:

• Let them sleep as much as they want. When they are sick, it is common for them to go to bed earlier, take longer naps, or sleep later. Older children might prefer to rest on a couch rather than in their bed.

• It is normal for them to need more time being held, comforted, or rocked while sick.

• They might not sleep for long periods of time when they are sick. A stuffy nose or upset stomach can wake them more often.

• Instead of bringing them into your bed, go into their room. Let them sleep in their crib or bed. You can sleep nearby on a couch or air mattress in case they need you. You can also use a monitor to watch or listen to the child as they sleep.

As they start to feel better, try to return to their regular sleep and nap schedule. You might need to use some of the tips above to help them get back to healthy sleep habits.