More and more research shows that the amount of sleep you get each night, along with the quality of time spent slumbering, directly impacts your health. In children, this is especially true. Lack of proper sleep can affect mental and physical development and lead to serious problems such anxiety, mood swings, and even behavioral issues.
With school having started and everyone back to a regular routine, now is a good time to make sure your child is on a consistent and sufficient sleep schedule. Here are guidelines on how much they need:
3-6 Years Old
- 10 – 12 hours per day
- Napping may also still be common for kids this age.
7-12 Years Old
- 10 – 11 hours per day
- Homework, extra-curricular and social activities, along with a greater interest in TV, computers, and electronic devices may start pushing bedtimes later and later at this age.
12-18 Years Old
- 8 – 9 hours per day
- Tweens and teenagers need to get adequate sleep in order to sustain their bodies that are changing rapidly at this time with the onset of puberty and adolescence.
If your child regularly has difficulty falling or staying asleep, make an appointment with your doctor.