How much sleep do preschoolers and older children need?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was consulted with Master, Doctor Nguyen Thi An - Pediatrician - Neonatologist - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital.
Sleep is an essential foundation for a child's mental and physical health. The American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that sleep problems affect 25% to 50% of children and 40% of adolescents.
Understanding children's sleep needs is the first step to helping them sleep better. Through a combination of sleep, age-appropriate living habits, and paying close attention to any sleep disturbances, you can help your child form healthy sleep habits so they grow up healthy. strong.

1. The Importance of Sleep for Children and Adolescents

Sleep plays a crucial role in young brain development. In addition to directly affecting children's health, research shows that sleep is linked to children's alertness and attention, cognitive performance, mood, resilience, vocabulary acquisition. , learning and memory. Sleep also has important effects on development, especially in childhood. Especially for toddlers, naps play an essential role in consolidating memory and developing cognitive and motor skills.
Problems that happen around the child such as teething, illness, child in another place, change of new caregiver, change of schedule, ear infection... can also have an effect. to children's sleep.
In addition to the above problems, about 50% of children have a sleep disorder at some point. Sleep disturbances are closely related to children's physical and mental health. One problem exacerbates another in a cycle that is hard to break. In addition, some sleep disorders do not manifest themselves or reflect different conditions such as epilepsy, making it difficult to diagnose.
Some of the most common sleep disorders in children are night terrors and nightmares, sleep apnea, sleep talking and sleepwalking, snoring and restless legs syndrome.

Sleep is important for people of all ages. However, for adolescents and young children, quality sleep is essential to ensure profound mental, physical, social, and emotional development.
Sleep affects factors such as:
Thinking and academic performance Sleep is beneficial for the brain and promotes attention, memory and analytical thinking. It helps to sharpen thinking, recognize the most important information to reinforce learning. Sleep also facilitates the expansion of thoughts, promoting creativity. Whether it's studying for a test, learning an instrument, or gaining job skills, sleep is essential for kids.
Given the importance of sleep for brain function, it's easy to understand why children who don't get enough sleep tend to suffer from excessive sleepiness and lack of attention. This can affect a child's academic performance.
Mental health Not getting enough sleep causes feelings of irritability and overreaction. Over time, the consequences can be even greater for teenagers who are adjusting to new independence, responsibilities, and social relationships.
Prolonged sleep loss can negatively affect emotional relationships, increase the risk of interpersonal conflicts as well as worsen mental health problems.
Mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder are associated with poor sleep and sleep deprivation in children that can increase the risk of suicide. Improving sleep in children plays an important role in preventing mental health disorders or reducing their symptoms.
Physical development Sleep contributes to the function of almost every organ of the body. Sleep strengthens the immune system, helps regulate hormones, and allows for muscle and tissue repair.
Significant physical growth occurs during adolescence and can be negatively affected by lack of sleep. Researchers have found that teenagers who don't get enough sleep affect their metabolism. This can put children at higher risk for diabetes and long-term heart problems.
Decision making and behavior Sleep deprivation can affect the development of the frontal lobes, the part of the brain that is important for controlling impulsive behavior. Many studies have found that children who do not get enough sleep can develop behaviors such as riding a bicycle without a helmet, not wearing a seat belt. Drug use, alcohol use, smoking, fighting and carrying a weapon were also identified as high risks for teenagers who got too little sleep.
Behavioral problems can affect a child's life, impairing his or her academic performance as well as his or her relationships with family and friends.
Accidents and Injuries Not getting enough sleep in children can make them vulnerable to injury and even death. Studies have found that sleep deprivation can reduce reaction time with the same effect as drinking alcohol.

2. How much sleep do children need?

When children grow up, they no longer sleep as much as when they were babies, but how much sleep is enough? Every child's sleep time is different, some need more sleep and others need less.
Below is a general guide to the average amount of sleep a child needs in about 24 hours.
Sleep expert Jodi Mindell, author of Sleep Through the Night, says: "If a child has a habit of getting little sleep or refuses to nap or go to bed before 10 p.m., their parents often assume that their parents are not. Children do not need much sleep. However, in reality, it is possible that children are suffering from a lack of sleep, leading to excessively tired behavior at bedtime.”
If you think your child may be sleep deprived, ask yourself some questions:
How often does your child fall asleep in the car? Does your child need you to wake him up in the morning? Does your child appear cranky or overly tired during the day? If the answer is yes, your child may not be getting enough sleep. To change this, you need to help children with good sleep-related habits, such as building a consistent bedtime routine, setting a consistent bedtime.
Preschoolers nap more, so they need 10 to 13 hours of sleep each day, this amount of time will decrease as children get older. By the age of 14, children need 8 to 10 hours of sleep a day.

3. How to help children sleep well

3.1 For young children

Sleep needs to change as your child gets older, but whether he's still a toddler or an adult, getting him to sleep on time is helpful to ensure he's getting enough sleep. Try to do the same activities each day in the same sequence so your child knows what to expect.
A typical bedtime routine might include:
Turning off the computer, television and other bright lights Put on pajamas and brush teeth Read a book, sing a lullaby or give the child a warm bath Take the child items (blankets) or stuffed animals that your child loves The best time to put your baby to bed is when they are sleepy, not when they are already asleep. This helps children learn to fall asleep on their own. If preschoolers wake up in the middle of the night, put them back in bed. It's best not to let an infant sleep in the same bed as you, as co-sleeping increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.

To help children sleep well, it is important to note:
Daytime habits also affect sleep. You can sleep comfortably in your baby by following these basic rules:
Arrange a balanced schedule with time for rest and play. Do not turn on the computer or TV in the bedroom, even during the day. Eat a sensible diet Create a cool sleeping space Use dark curtains to block out light or a night light if your child is afraid of the dark Keep the bedroom quiet or use a white noise machine to mask outside sounds In addition Avoid caffeine, avoid overeating and sugary foods before bedtime, choose a healthy bedtime snack if necessary It is important for your child to get regular exercise, but don't force it. Children are tired of these activities so that they sleep better at night.
To help babies sleep well, it is important to note: Because babies have not yet formed their circadian rhythms, young children rarely sleep through the night. If your baby doesn't go back to sleep on his own, try soothing him by talking or touching without picking him up. If your baby continues to cry, he may be hungry or need a diaper change. Fix the problem quickly and quietly, using only a night light if possible and gently.
To help your toddler sleep well, it's important to note: Toddler sleep is often supplemented by two naps a day. Toddler sleep problems include anxiety about being separated from mother or caregivers, which leads to stubborn, irritable children at bedtime. You can work around this situation by giving your child some control over small choices like what to wear to pajamas or what book to read. Try to be patient, firm but still gentle with the child, do not be angry or intimidate the child because this only backfires, the child will react more strongly to your actions.
Sleep tips for preschoolers: Between academic, social, and extracurricular obligations, school-age children often have so many activities that it can be difficult to get a good night's sleep. Whenever possible, try to stick to a consistent schedule and relaxation time before bed. To strengthen the connection between the bedroom and sleep, let your child do homework or other activities in another room if possible.
Mornings are also important, and while a lot of kids enjoy sleeping in on weekends, it can disrupt their sleep schedule and make it harder for them to wake up during the week. Try not to over-schedule extracurricular activities if you find these activities to have an adverse effect on your child's sleep time.

If you have arranged a reasonable bedtime for your child and the child still feels sleepy, has trouble sleeping or toss sleep at night, you should take your child to see a doctor to be checked to see if he has trouble sleeping or not. . You can also ask for help from the teacher to observe how attentive your child is at school. Difficulty concentrating, hyperactive behavior, or learning problems may indicate that a child is not getting the right amount of sleep.
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Reference source: babycenter.com