How Much Sleep Your Child Needs at Every Age 

One of the most common things I see when families are struggling with their kids' sleep is that their child isn't getting an amount of sleep that actually supports good sleep. It seems counterintuitive, right? You'd think that if babies and kids are tired, they'll sleep! What actually happens though, is when kids don't get enough sleep, they develop a sleep gap, and falling asleep and staying asleep actually becomes harder for them. 

When working with families, the first thing we do is work to get their child on a "schedule" that works. This doesn't necessarily mean following the clock. For younger babies, this means using wake windows that allow their child to have enough sleep pressure built up to sleep without being overtired. Of course, these are used in conjunction with sleepy cues as well. For older babies, toddlers, and preschoolers, using a clock-based schedule can really make a big difference, as their bodies are able to release melatonin at the appropriate time to support falling asleep. 

When thinking about your child's ideal "schedule", you want to take a few things into consideration: 

• how much sleep your child needs in a 24 hour period

• how long your child can be awake without becoming overtired

• how long your child needs to be awake in order to have enough sleep pressure built up to sleep

• how much daytime sleep vs. nighttime sleep your child need

To get you started, here is, on average, how much sleep your child needs in a 24 hour period at every age. You may be surprised by how much sleep your little one needs!