Hours of sleep: how many do the children need?
Sleep is vital for the growth and development of children. The advantages of achieving a good quality sleep are many: to acquire more quickly the fine and coarse motor skills, to have more resistance, a better diet, better grades in school, better social skills and a better temperament, among others. Thus, establishing good sleep habits at home and instilling a series of guidelines for good sleep will be of great help to the children on the road to life.
Therefore, many parents wonder how many hours of sleep are enough for their child. The answer to this question can be determined by answering first these more concise questions:
1. My son, does he sleep, rest and relax enough?, so that you can learn, grow and participate in daily activities without ending up tired?
2. Does my child have a physical space? (for example, your bedroom) that allows you to sleep, rest and relax properly?
3. Does my child have a social environment? (for example, family routines, a school or day care center) to help you sleep, rest and relax properly?
The answers to these questions as a whole show whether the hours of sleep, rest and relaxation of a child have an effect on their health, growth and development.
How long should the children sleep?
Each phase of development that a child goes through subjects the organism to different tensions. Based on these sources of stress or tension there are a series of general rules on the number of hours of sleep that are necessary to achieve optimal growth and development in each period. However, the needs of each child will vary slightly depending on family routines, cultural norms, and the intrinsic characteristics of the child.
- Newborns (0-21 days). In general, newborns sleep about 16 hours a day. Half of them sleep during the day. The sleep periods are brief; They last at most between 2.5 and 4 hours.
- 1-3 months. Babies between 1 and 3 months usually sleep about 15 hours, begin to concentrate more sleep in the night hours and sleep less during the day.
- 3-6 months Babies between 3 and 6 months old still sleep about 15 hours, but they stay much longer awake during the day and sleep mainly at night.
- 6-12 months. Babies between 6 and 12 months sleep about 14-15 hours. Normally they are able to sleep at a stretch at night between 7 and 10 hours and then take a nap at mid-morning and another after eating.
- 1-2 years In general, children between 1 and 2 years old sleep about 13.5 hours a day. The mid-morning nap is stopped when they are between 12 months and 2 years old. The afternoon nap can last until they are 4 or 5 years old.
- 2-5 years In general, children between 2 and 5 years old sleep about 11-12 hours at night and take a nap for 1 or 2 hours after eating.
- 6-12 years Children of 6 years sleep about 9.5 hours per night. This amount decreases slightly and gradually as the child grows and approaches the age of 12.
- Adolescence. Teens need about 8 or 9 hours of sleep per night.
Sleeping well every day is essential to have the necessary energy the next day. Creating the right atmosphere of silence, temperature in the room and relaxation is essential to achieve it.
Deanna Marie Mason, expert in education and family health. Blog author Dr. Deanna Marie Mason. Proactive fatherhood Professional support for the modern family.
