Kids need different amounts of sleep as they grow to help both their brains and their bodies function at their best. But lots of tots just aren't getting the snoozing they require to help them be ready — and far more willing — to take on the day. In fact, a new study shows that a lack of shut-eye doesn't just make kids cranky, it can boost their risk for getting hurt unintentionally, too.
In a study funded by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, researchers talked to almost 300 moms about their kids' sleep habits and tracked their injuries (from the moms' reports and the youngsters' medical records) from 18 months to 4 years old.
What they found: toddlers and preschoolers who didn't get enough sleep (according to their age and developmental stage) were twice as likely to get hurt accidentally.
The News on Snooze
For all tots, from tiny bundles to teens, lack of sleep also can lead to irritability, hyperactivity, and extremes in behavior. Plus, too-few ZZZs can make symptoms of a condition like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) even worse. All of that added behavioral baggage can set the stage for tension at home and problems once kids are in school.
You're the best judge of how much rest your kids need each day — some children may require more or less than others. Although there's a wide range of normal and every child is different, here's a general sleep-needs gauge for each age and stage:
- newborns — at least 16 hours or more daily (sometimes up to 20), often for 3 to 4 hours at a time
- 2 to 4 months — about 15 hours each day, including two or three naps. By 2 months old, babies start to stay awake for longer periods and are more alert during the day and sleep longer at night. By 3 months old, most babies start "sleeping through the night" for at least 6-hour stretches.
- 6 to 9 months — about 14 hours a day, including two naps (usually one in the morning and one sometime after lunch)
- 12 to 15 months — about 13 to 14 hours daily, including one or two naps
- 18 months — about 13 to 14 hours daily, including one nap. Most toddlers this age give up their morning nap.
- 2 years — about 13 hours each day, including one nap
- 3 years — about 12 hours a day, including one nap
- 4 years — about 12 hours a night. By this time, many preschoolers have nixed napping but can still benefit from some "quiet time" every day.
- 5 years — about 11 hours a night with no nap. But to help these preschoolers get enough rest, you may need to make their bedtime a little earlier.
- 6 to 9 years — about 10 hours a night
- 10 to 12 years — a little more than 9 hours a night
- 13 to 18 years — about 8 to 91/2 hours a night, which many don't get. Teens actually go through a natural change in their sleep patterns — their bodies want to stay up late and wake up later, which often leads to trying to catch up on sleep during the weekend.
What This Means to You
Naps are one of the best ways for babies, toddlers, and young preschoolers to get some much-needed R&R to help their bodies and brains reboot. But around 3 or 4 years old, sometimes sooner, kids often start to fend off naps, doing practically everything in their power to keep playing through the drowsiness, no matter how completely pooped they really are.
And as toddlers become preschoolers, many moms and dads worry that naptime will interfere with bedtime, which may well be the case if a child takes a late-afternoon nap. But banishing the nap altogether to try to wear out kids out by nightfall may backfire. That's because well-rested kids are actually much quicker to settle down at night than overtired ones, who are often "wired" and restless, unable to self-soothe at bedtime, and more likely to wake through the night.
To help make healthy amounts of shuteye a regular occurrence in your household:
- Put babies to bed while sleepy (but not yet asleep) and keep that habit up as they get older. This teaches kids how to fall asleep on their own — a skill that becomes more important as they get older.
- Stick to a regular nap schedule for babies and toddlers, adjusting as they grow and their sleep needs change.
- Don't put kids down for naps too close to bedtime. Try making naps a little bit earlier, which may even mean waking kids a little earlier in the morning so that naps can begin sooner. You might also try waking your kids from their naps earlier than usual so they have a longer active period before bedtime.
- Don't let naptime become a battle for preschoolers and older youngsters. You can't force kids to sleep, but you can insist on some quiet time to help them rest a little. Let them read books or play quietly in their rooms.
- Consider adjusting to an earlier bedtime if your kids have given up daytime naps.
- Encourage your kids to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning, allowing for the right amount of sleep they need for their age and personal stage.
- Encourage regular physical activity during the day, but not within 2 to 3 hours of bedtime.
A lot of parents underestimate the amount of sleep their children need. So, be sure to watch your kids' behavior for signs of insufficient snoozing, which can range from the obvious — like fatigue — to more subtle problems with behavior and schoolwork.
Ask yourself:
- Do my kids seem sleepy during the day (acting fussy, rubbing their eyes)?
- Do my kids get cranky and irritable in the late afternoon?
- Is it a battle to get my kids out of bed in the morning?
- Are my kids inattentive, impatient, hyperactive, or aggressive?
- Do my kids have trouble focusing on schoolwork and other tasks?
If you answered "yes" to any of these, consider adjusting your kids' nap or bedtime schedule. It may take several weeks to find a routine that ensures your children get the rest they need. But in no time, you may be surprised to discover that even a little more sleep can translate into a lot more sane, happy days for both you and your kids!
Reviewed by: Stephen Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: March 2008
Source: "Inadequate Sleep and Unintentional Injuries in Young Children," Public Health Nursing, March/April 2008.
