How much should a child sleep per day: a table of children's sleep rates by months

 Children's sleep is the key to proper psychological and physical development. Therefore, it is necessary to observe the regime from the first days of life.


For an adult, healthy sleep  is a guarantor of good mood and active life. This is short. As for children, their sleep is the key to correct psychological and physical development. Therefore, it is necessary to observe the regime from the first days of life. 

At the same time, sleep rates are different at each age. Parents need to take this into account. But it is also important for moms and dads to understand that the average duration of daytime and nighttime sleep is just a guideline, not a clear recommendation. If the child sleeps a little longer or less than expected, do not panic and force him to sleep more or, conversely, wake him up earlier. Treat with understanding and respect for the individual biological rhythms of your child. 

How much should a child sleep by age: table of average values

AgeSleep hoursSleep features
from 0 to 1 monthabout 18 hours

The baby is almost always asleep. He has only three main reasons for being awake: food, toilet and water procedures. Usually, all this takes no more than an hour, after which the newborn falls asleep again. 

This period is insidious because the baby may develop colic due to the formation of intestinal microflora. As a result, the child will suffer and sleep less. To avoid this, parents need to give the baby a light massage, do not forget about the benefits of exercise and feeding rates.

from 2 to 4 months17-18 hours

At this age, the baby becomes more communicative - he reacts to the voices of his parents, watches with interest what is happening around him. 

Also, it is from this age that you can start additional activities - swimming in the pool, gymnastics with your mother. All this already keeps him awake a little more. 

Parents should keep track of how much their baby does not sleep. The maximum break between rests should not be more than two hours, otherwise you will have to face whims and tantrums due to overwork.

from 5 to 6 monthsabout 16 hours

At this age, the total amount of sleep can be divided into several approaches. Usually there are two of them, but it is also quite normal for the baby to sleep up to 4 times a day. In this case, 6 hours are allocated for the night, the remaining 10 are distributed during the day. 

In order for the daytime rest to be complete, the mother needs to control so that the child does not fall asleep during feeding. During this period, it is important to prepare for the rest in the baby's own bed, you can hold the child's hand and read a book to him at night. 

This approach will wean the child from falling asleep with his parents. This will facilitate the transition to self-sleep in the future.  

from 7 to 9 monthsabout 15 hours

Since from six months, babies begin to sit down, get up and walk on their own, these reflexes can work during sleep.

At the same time, while sleeping, the child himself may not understand why he is standing or sitting. Parents need to react calmly to this. Stroke the baby on the back, kiss and lay in the crib as you did in previous times. Be patient, because at this age children still do not know how to fall asleep on their own, and there may be more than one or two such awakenings day and night. 

from 10 to 12 monthsabout 13 hoursAt this age, the features of sleep are about the same as in the period from 7 to 9 months. 
from 1 to 1.5 yearsthe first nap lasts 2-2.5 hours, the second 1.5 hours. Night sleep - about 10-11 hours

The culture of sleep during this period coincides with potty training. Therefore, parents need to instill in their child the habit of waking up at night in order to go to the toilet.

To develop this reflex, you need to gently wake the baby up and put him on the pot about 2 times a night at equal intervals of time. 

Over time, he himself will begin to wake up in order to empty the bladder if necessary.

from 1.5 to 2 years daytime sleep lasts 2.5-3 hours, night sleep - 10-11 hours

At this age, children become very active, they are interested in everything and, of course, does not sit still. This sensitivity is reflected in sleep. The kid can often toss and turn.

Therefore, at 1.5-2 years old, it's time to lower the mattress in the crib to the lower level and organize a passage through which you can get out without risk to health.

It is also better to play it safe and lay a blanket, pillows and anything else that can soften his landing on the floor near the baby's bed if he does fall. 

from 2 to 3 yearsdaytime sleep - about 2-2.5 hours, nighttime - 10-11 hours

The period has come when you can completely refuse from a safe crib (taking into account security measures). At 2-3 years old, a child can be taught to sleep in a regular bed. 

This independence and the formation of a regime is also facilitated by the fact that at this age children begin to go to the garden.

From the age of 3, many people go to the toilet themselves even at night, and by the age of 4 they wake up on their own in the morning.

from 3 to 7 yearsdaytime sleep - 2 hours, nighttime - 10 hours

By the age of 6, many children have completely given up daytime sleep. Also, some preschoolers intuitively reduce the amount to 1.5 hours.

By the age of 7, the child can already prepare for bed and fall asleep. But parental care in the form of reading a fairy tale or presence will not be superfluous.

after 7 yearsdaytime sleep is not required, and the duration of the night should be 8-9 hours

Seven-year is already a person who is ready to adhere to the "adult" regime. 

Daytime rest is possible only on condition of significant impressions, experiences or excitement. 

Children usually sleep after school when meeting a new teacher, speaking in front of the whole class, or other similar stressful situations.

Why good sleep is especially important for babies under 1 year old

The younger the child, the longer he needs to sleep. This pattern is clearly seen from the table. This approach is provided by nature itself, so it is important for parents:
a) not to violate it;
b) if the baby is out of sleep, do everything to restore it. 

Now we are not talking about minor shifts in the regime, but about tangible violations - anxious sleep, insomnia, frequent awakening, and so on. It is especially important to track the sleep of a newborn, because the main development of a child up to a year takes place precisely during sleep.

The nervous system of a sleeping child reacts better to what is happening around, and as a result, the child is more active and absorbs information faster. Also, with a normal duration of rest in the first 2 hours, the body actively produces growth hormone, which greatly affects physical development. Sleep deprivation, in turn, makes the child nervous and painful. 

Therefore, in order for your baby to sleep sweetly for the prescribed number of hours, create all the necessary conditions for this: 

  • Maintain a comfortable temperature and humidity in the room where the baby sleeps;
  • Wear cozy and comfortable pajamas for your child;
  • Ventilate the room in advance for better oxygen access.

The benefits of daytime and nighttime sleep

It is possible to divide sleep into daytime and nighttime from 6 months, and by the age of 6-7 years you need to gradually teach your child to do without 2-hour rest during the day. Although, by this age, children themselves no longer want to adhere to such a regime and completely switch to night sleep. 

So what is the peculiarity of these two types of sleep and why do parents need to accustom their child to such a regime? 

Night sleep

Children under 6 years old should be put in between 6 pm and 9 pm. During this period of time, babies produce the hormone melatonin, which is responsible for the normalization of biorhythms and regulation of the nervous system. In adults, this process starts at midnight and lasts until 6 am. 

In the summer, when it gets dark outside the window later, it will be more difficult for the child to fall asleep. Therefore, be sure to hang blackout curtains in his room, which will help create a sleepy atmosphere. If the child does not sleep after 21:00, then instead of melatonin, cortisol is produced, which makes the baby more active - it will be a little more difficult to put him to bed under such conditions.

Daytime sleep

If a child falls asleep between 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm, he will wake up at about 6-8 o'clock, and by lunchtime he will need to "recharge". Daytime sleep is a logical continuation of the correct regimen. It helps to restore the physical and emotional state of the child. In addition, rest for 2-2.5 hours contributes to the subsequent activity and development of the mental abilities of your child. 

To prevent naps from turning into persuasion, follow these rules: 

1. For lunch, do not serve fatty and fried foods.
2. Be sure to walk with your child outside in the morning.
3. When preparing your baby for lunch, dim the lights in the room and create a calm atmosphere.

Important! If the baby does not want to fit, there is no need to force him. From about 2.5 years of age, additional rest can be refused. And that's okay. In such cases, just do it not at 7:00 pm, as usual, but an hour earlier. So the child's body compensates for the lack of sleep.

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