Modern society makes it difficult for children to get enough sleep. If youngsters are left to themselves, they may fight off sleep in order to do things they think are more fun. If the whole family does things together, including spending evenings together, that, too, may deprive young people of sleep. Why? Because young people—even into their early 20s—need more sleep than do adults. It’s too easy for children to try to adapt to adult sleep patterns or for adults to impose “eight hours” on their children, even though adults are the only age group that manages well on 7-9 hours’ sleep. How much sleep do children need? As a parent or caretaker, you may already have a good idea, but since everyone fits into a range, the best starting place for you is to ensure you, as an adult are getting enough sleep consistently. If you have “found your own sleep number,” the hours of sleep that leave you consistently refreshed and energized, so that you don’t need to sleep more than an hour late on the weekend, you’ll be in the best position to help young ones around you find their own ideal sleep time. You begin with good sleep hygiene. Lights out, preferably a gradual dimming from bright light to darkness—perhaps dressing for bed with only a small lamp showing the way. To bed the same time every night and awaking about the same time every morning. Quiet, of course, is also essential. Infants’ needs vary the most. One newborn sleeps only 10.5 hours while another sleeps 18. By the time a baby is three months old, on up to 11 months, its need for nighttime sleep has dropped to 9-12 hours. But a 3-11 month old baby also needs naps ranging from half an hour up to two hours and as many as four times a day, depending upon their duration. Toddlers from a year old through three years old may actually sleep longer at night than a baby under a year, again, depending upon whether the child does better with or without a nap. These one, two and three year olds will be the happiest when they are getting 12-14 hours of sleep a night. Continue reading →