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How Much Sleep Do Kids Really Need?

Babies, children and teenagers need more sleep than adults to support their growing brains and bodies. Sleep needs vary among each child, but there are some general guidelines that can help parents stay on the right track.

Hope Kurk, MD

in Parenting

June 27, 2019

Children need more sleep than adults to support their growing brains and bodies. Irritability, forgetfulness, stress and difficulty concentrating are a few side effects of not getting enough sleep. Even one hour of sleep can make a big difference.
Over time, lack of sleep can lead to several serious health issues, including depression, anxiety, increased blood pressure and inflammation.
Children ages 1 to 2 require 11 – 14 hours of sleep per night. 3- to 5-year-old children need 10 to 13, 6- to 13-year-olds need 9 to 11 hours per night, and teenagers (ages 14-19) need up to 9.5 hours of sleep, although most usually only get around 7.

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Ages 1-2

Toddlers typically need between 11 and 14 hours of sleep every day. Most of this occurs at night, but most kids this age still need a one to three-hour nap.

Ages 3-5

Preschool-age children usually need 10 to 13 hours of sleep every day. At age three, many kids are still napping, but most stop napping by age five.

Ages 6-13

During the elementary and early middle school years, kids typically need nine to 11 hours of sleep each night.

Ages 14-19

Teens usually get about seven hours of sleep, but we’re finding that they actually need as much as nine-and-a-half hours of sleep each night.

Every child is different, so take time to figure out what works best for your child. If your child continues to have difficulty sleeping, make an appointment with a Valleywise Health pediatrician near you by calling 1 (833) VLLYWSE.

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About the Author

Dr. Hope Kurk - Pediatrics

Hope Kurk, MD completed medical school at Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv, Israel. She completed her residency in Pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center in New York. Dr. Kurk is Board Certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. Dr. Kurk, a District Medical Group (DMG) physician, is available for consultation at …

Read posts by Dr. Hope Kurk