With children off school amid the coronavirus lockdown, for many families, routines are out of the window - including sleep.
And while there's no big harm in letting things slip right now, it can affect the whole household if kids aren't sleeping well.
So how much sleep do kids need and how does it change as they get older?
The NHS has shared a list of the approximate hours of sleep needed by children of different ages, reports the Liverpool Echo. This is recommended by the Millpond Children’s Sleep Clinic.
If you’re struggling to get your child to sleep by a certain time, or if they’re waking frequently or early in the morning, the NHS has also shared some tips to help encourage a good night’s sleep.
How many hours of sleep do children need?
One week old
Daytime: 8 hours
Night-time: 8 hours 30 minutes
Four weeks old
Daytime: 6 to 7 hours
Night-time: 8 to 9 hours
Three months old
Daytime: 4 to 5 hours
Night-time: 10 to 11 hours
Six months old
Daytime: 3 hours
Night-time: 11 hours
Nine months old
Daytime: 2 hours 30 minutes
Night-time: 11 hours
12 months old
Daytime: 2 hours 30 minutes
Night-time: 11 hours
Two years old
Daytime: 1 hour 30 minutes
Night-time: 11 hours 30 minutes
Three years old
Daytime: 0 to 45 minutes
Night-time: 11 hours 30 minutes to 12 hours
Four years old
Night-time: 11 hours 30 minutes
Five years old
Night-time: 11 hours
Six years old
Night-time: 10 hours 45 minutes
Seven years old
Night-time: 10 hours 30 minutes
Eight years old
Night-time: 10 hours 15 minutes
Nine years old
Night-time: 10 hours
10 years old
Night-time: 9 hours 45 minutes
11 years old
Night-time: 9 hours 30 minutes
12 years old
Night-time: 9 hours 15 minutes
13 years old
Night-time: 9 hours 15 minutes
14 years old
Night-time: 9 hours
15 years old
Night-time: 9 hours
16 years old
Night-time: 9 hours
NHS’s healthy sleep tips for children
Set a routine and stick to it
According to the NHS, doing the same relaxing things in the same order and at the same time each night helps promote good sleep. These can include:
- A warm (not hot) bath, which will help your child relax and get ready for sleep
- Keeping lights dim to encourage your child's body to produce the sleep hormone, melatonin.
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Once in bed, encourage your child to read quietly or listen to some relaxing music, or read a story together.
Avoid screens in the bedroom
Tablets, smartphones, TVs and other electronic gadgets can affect how easily children get to sleep, according to the NHS.
They may also cause older children to stay up late or wake in the middle of the night to use social media.
Try to encourage children to stop using screens an hour before bedtime and leave phones and other devices in other rooms at night.
Get the lighting and temperature right
To help promote a good night’s sleep, rooms should be well ventilated and at a temperature of about 16 to 20C.
Fit thick curtains or blackout blinds to block out daylight, and (if old enough) give your child earplugs if they’re frequently being disturbed by noise.
Still struggling?
If your child is still finding it difficult to sleep, the NHS recommends speaking to your GP, or health visitor, who may refer you to an expert.
