Healthy sleep of a child: basic rules - Healthy Russia. Sleep norms for a child up to a year, from a year to three Early refusal of daytime sleep

As with adults, for babies, sleep is a great way to process all the information that the brain has received during the day. How much sleep children need, and what causes lack of sleep at a young age, says Marina Khamurzova, a postgraduate student at the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery of the Russian State Medical University, a neurologist at City Clinical Hospital No. 12.

How much sleep do kids need

Need for sleep depends on age. Newborns sleep about 20 hours a night, children 2 to 4 years old about 16 hours, 4 to 5 year olds should get 13 hours of sleep, 6 to 7 year olds should get 12 hours of sleep, and teenagers need 9 hours of sleep.

“Unfortunately, in our time, not only parents busy with their careers and household chores, but also their children do not get enough sleep,” says Khamurzova. “According to statistics, among children now there are approximately 5 percent of those who are sleep deprived as much as 1.5-2 hours a day, starting from toddler age.”

Why do children not sleep

“Often the reason for lack of sleep is that not only mom and dad think that proper sleep is not important for a baby, but preschool institutions have ceased to strictly monitor the proper organization of sleep,” says Khamurzova.

But even at home, the child gets every opportunity to sleep less than necessary. To him allowed to stay up late for lessons, watch TV before going to bed, play computer games.

If the baby is not sleeping

The consequences of sleep deprivation in children are somewhat different from what happens in adults.

“In adults, as a result of a lack of sleep, whether it be insomnia or lack of sleep, labor productivity decreases, the number of traffic accidents increases, the incidence of coronary heart disease increases,” says Khamurzova, “but in children, sleep plays a special role in development.”

Firstly, sleep is involved in the growth process. Almost 80 percent of a baby's growth hormone is produced during the first sleep cycle. Sleep deprivation can cause stunting and retardation of a child's physical development.

Unbalance, fussiness, forgetfulness, confusion in speech, lack of criticism in relation to their behavior, according to scientists, often indicate that the child is not getting enough sleep. This is also evidenced by the habit of rubbing the eyes, as if they were covered with dust.

In such children, the researchers note, normal performance is reduced, the functioning of the nervous system is disrupted. Lack of sleep reduces their ability to assimilate and process information, transfer and organize it in memory.

An equally important negative consequence of lack of sleep for babies is decreased ability to adapt to stressful situations.

These changes are reversible and disappear when the correct sleep pattern is established. But in children who, for one reason or another, do not have enough time for sleep, the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases increases.

Sleep needs conditions

“There is an opinion that there is nothing wrong with the fact that a child falls asleep to the sound of TV, conversations,” says Khamurzova, “it is believed that such a Spartan manner of upbringing allows you to raise a child inexhaustible. But that's a pretty serious misconception."

Special electroencephalographic studies have shown that in such an environment the baby does not fall asleep deeply, and, consequently, the nervous system does not receive proper rest.

If such light sleep- a common occurrence, the child becomes restless, irritable for no reason, often cries, loses appetite, loses weight. Sometimes in children there is lethargy, lethargy, apathy. “I would not recommend that parents come into conflict with the laws of physiology,” recalls Khamurzova.

How to organize sleep?

Put your baby to bed from early childhood at the same time.

come up with falling asleep ritual- washing, reading at night - and try not to cheat on him ever.

A couple of hours before bedtime, the child should finish noisy games, do homework and turn off the computer. Calm reading or quiet play with toys will help calm down and fall asleep quickly.

The baby's bedroom should have cool, dark and quiet nothing to stop you from sleeping peacefully.

As soon as the baby fell asleep, turn off the music, work on the computer with headphones, turn off the overhead light and speak out loud.

The most important thing about baby sleep

Sleep is very important for the normal growth of the child and the development of his brain, and regular lack of sleep can lead to serious illnesses. Create conditions for your baby to fall asleep and carefully make sure that nothing interferes with his full sleep.

As for every adult, for a child, sleep is a time when he can recuperate and enjoy dreams. However, not all parents know how much the baby should sleep at different ages, whether he needs daytime sleep, and what to do if the baby does not want to fall asleep.

If your child is active, eats well and feels good, but at the same time cannot fall asleep for a long time, do not worry. It's just him peculiarity , associated, most likely, with the daily regimen that he had in infancy.

But there is one single pattern that must be observed when scheduling a child's sleep. The younger the child, the more hours a day he should sleep.

How do babies sleep at one year old?

Sleep and wakefulness in a child of the first year of life

During the day, children should sleep from 12 to 14 hours. In the daily routine (this is the main thing) there should be a daytime sleep lasting 2-3 hours. If the baby cannot sleep during the day for more than an hour, you can put him to bed twice a day.

When does a one-year-old baby have sound or superficial sleep?

80% of a child's sleep is superficial sleep. During this period, the baby is very susceptible to the environment. And even a simple creak of a door can wake him up. But it is at this point that the development of the child's brain occurs.

Causes of poor and restless sleep in one-year-old children

• Very often, the main reason for a one-year-old child's poor sleep is teething.
• Also .

If you want to completely eliminate other factors, then you should carefully ventilate the room before putting the child to bed. It is also advisable to turn on a night light at night so that the little one is not afraid to sleep in the dark.

Reasons why a child in one year sleeps a lot and often

If a one-year-old child sleeps a lot, do not immediately sound the alarm. After all, the cause can be simple overwork. In this situation, work on the daily routine, eliminate all annoying and tiring factors for a while.

If the child began to eat poorly and often act up, then this is a signal that it is time to see a doctor!

How do two year olds sleep?

Features of daytime and nighttime sleep of two-year-old children

Two-year-olds are more active. They explore the world around them with might and main. So they need a daytime sleep in order to have time to restore their strength. And, if your baby does not go to kindergarten, then take the trouble to provide him with a time when he can sleep peacefully during the day. It is desirable that no one interfere with him, since at this age children have a very sensitive sleep.

The duration of sleep for a child of two years at night and during the day

A two-year-old child should sleep 12-14 hours a day. At the same time, 2 hours should be allocated for daytime sleep (this is mandatory) so that the child restores the strength spent in the first half of the day.

A child at two years old sleeps little and restlessly: reasons

If the child refuses to sleep, then most likely the reason is in his well-being. The best option is to consult a doctor in order to exclude the option of any diseases due to which the baby refuses to sleep.

Why does a two-year-old child constantly want to sleep, sleep a lot and for a long time?

If you notice that the baby began to sleep for a very long time, and it becomes quite difficult to wake the child, adjust the daily routine. After all, your child may just be overtired.

If the measures taken do not help, then you should contact a neurologist!

How much and how much should a child sleep at 3 years old?

How much do three-year-old children sleep during the day in kindergarten?

3 years is the age when a child becomes a preschooler. During this period, children already go to kindergarten, which means they sleep during the day. Daytime sleep here lasts 1-2 hours.

The duration of healthy sleep in a child of 3 years at night and daytime

The total duration of a child's sleep is 11-13 hours a day. Daytime sleep lasts 2 hours.

Possible Causes of Poor Sleep in Three-Year-Old Children

If the child does not want to sleep during the day, but at the same time sleeps well at night, you should not force the baby to lay down.

If you notice that the child also sleeps poorly at night, then this is a reason to see a doctor.

Why does a three-year-old child constantly want to sleep?

Overwork and too much stress are the main reasons why a child sleeps a lot during the day and sleeps soundly at night. Some children can even fall asleep in the car while driving home from kindergarten.

It is advisable for parents to change the daily routine and monitor the child and his well-being.

How much sleep should a child at 4 years old?

Sleep and wakefulness of a child at four years of age

At this age, a child's life is in full swing. Emotions are getting bigger. And communication with peers becomes more frequent. Children get tired quickly, which means that they also need daytime sleep.

The duration of good sleep in a four-year-old child at night and during the day

A 4-year-old child must save 12 hours a day.

At the same time, you need to remember about daytime sleep, which lasts 1-2 hours. This is quite enough for the baby to gain strength.

A child at 4 years old sleeps little or restlessly: why?

If your baby is not sleeping well, refuses to sleep during the day, or is having nightmares, the cause may be that he is not feeling well. You should take your child to the doctor to check for any medical conditions.

Also, the cause of poor and restless sleep in your baby may be overwork or an overabundance of emotions.

Why does a four-year-old child constantly want to sleep?

If the baby sleeps for too long (more than the allotted time), but at the same time feels good, communicates with peers, eats well, there is no need to worry. It's just that he just gets very tired during the day, and compensates for this with an excess of sleep.

How many hours does a 5 year old child sleep?

Features of daytime and nighttime sleep in five-year-old children

At the age of 5, a child, in addition to a night's sleep, should also have an afternoon sleep. This allows you to maintain the health of the baby and restore his strength.

When does a 5-year-old child have a deep sleep, and when does it have a superficial one?

A five-year-old child should sleep 10-11 hours a day. At the same time, 1 hour of this time should fall on daytime sleep.

Superficial sleep is already becoming small in time, so the child stops waking up frequently and sleeps more soundly.

Sleep disturbances in a 5 year old

If the child sleeps little, restlessly, sometimes wakes up from nightmares, you should take him to a neurologist or pediatrician.

If your baby does not want to sleep during the day, then you do not need to force him. Just put him to bed an hour earlier in the evening.

5 year old baby sleeps all day

If a preschooler sleeps a lot during the daytime and is awake at night, it is advisable to pay attention to his daily routine. Perhaps in the first half of the day your child is too tired and falls asleep. In the evening, he is already engaged in less active activities. And so it doesn't get tired.

Or, on the contrary, in the evening he becomes so excited that he has a second wind, and the body begins to confuse day with night.

How much sleep should a child at 6 years old?

Sleep schedule for a 6 year old

At 6 years old, the child should sleep 11-12 hours. Daytime sleep is still very important, as children begin to actively engage in preparation for school. And this means that the physical and psychological stress is doubled.

Sleep duration of a six-year-old baby at night and daytime

A child at the age of six years should get enough sleep both during the day and at night.

11 hours is the minimum time a baby should sleep.

Daytime sleep should last from one to two hours.

Why does a six-year-old child have bad sleep?

If your child does not sleep in kindergarten, but sleeps well at home at night, do not worry. After all, a night's sleep is enough for him to restore strength.

If the child just sleeps restlessly, then you should take him to the doctor in order to avoid serious diseases.

A child at 6 years old sleeps all the time: why?

If your baby began to sleep a lot, but does not complain about well-being, then perhaps he is simply overtired and experiencing too many emotions throughout the day.

Children can sleep a lot due to problems with psychological development, so it is necessary to consult a psychologist.

How long should a 7 year old sleep?

Features of sleep in children of school age

7 years is the same age when a child starts going to school, which means that the load on the body increases several times.

Don't forget to sleep during the day. It is daytime sleep after school that will help the baby recover after a school day.

How many hours does a 7 year old need to sleep?

A child at 7 years old should sleep 10-11 hours. One hour is for daytime sleep.

Causes of sleep disturbance in a seven-year-old child

If your baby sleeps poorly or is restless, then the reason may be overwork.

Go to the doctor and consult with him about prescribing a mild sedative to the child.

During the first months of schooling, the baby experiences a lot of stress. Therefore, one should not be surprised that he does not sleep well.

Try to smooth out the psycho-emotional state of the child, help him adapt to the new mode of life.

Features of a child's afternoon nap

For a student, rest is very important, so it is impossible to completely exclude daytime sleep. It is simply necessary for the child to restore strength. It is necessary to allocate one hour for a daytime sleep of a first grader.

A child at 7 years old began to sleep more: why?

Your baby began to sleep a lot, and he tends to sleep even during the day? Most often, the reason for this is an overabundance of emotions, beriberi, or increased fatigue.

Until what age do children sleep during the day - a summary table of the duration of night and daytime sleep for children under 7 years old

Until what age do children sleep during the day, and when can daytime sleep be removed from the child's regimen?

babies have almost the same regimen, following a certain sequence of feedings, hygiene procedures, games and sleep.

Upon reaching the age one year children already differ from each other not only in temperament and activity, but also in the duration and quality of daytime and nighttime sleep. It can be said that in late infancy and early preschool age Daytime sleep is individual, has a different duration and number of falling asleep during the day.

If a child 2-4 years old sleeps for a short time during the day, falling asleep for half an hour or an hour maximum, but at the same time he is active and easily "holds out" to a night's sleep without whims and lethargy, then this time is enough for him to rest and recover. With this mode, parents should not forcefully put the child to bed, rock him, trying to make him sleep longer.

Pediatricians and pediatric neuropathologists advise paying more attention not to the duration of daytime sleep, as such, but to its quality - how he falls asleep / wakes up, whether the baby sleeps deeply, whether he has multiple awakenings / falling asleep, whether he has too little sleep, whether he is crying in his sleep, twitching his limbs, or sweating heavily.

In the presence of such signs, you should contact a pediatric neurologist to find out the reasons.

Of course, preschool child has an unformed nervous system, and the abundance of information from the outside world, active cognitive and play activities are very tiring. The nervous system needs protection, and the best protection is just a sound sleep, close to the optimal duration for a given age.

In order not to deprive the baby of this protection, from infancy it is necessary to develop a certain order for laying the baby down, to make sleep attributes traditional - a favorite pillow, a soft toy-filler, a mother's lullaby.

After seven years the child's body can do without daytime sleep. But we draw your attention to the fact that this age is associated with the beginning of schooling, which brings with it new burdens, worries and responsibilities for the baby. That is why pediatric neurologists still recommend keep daytime sleep up to 8-9 years .

By the way, daytime rest at this age may not necessarily be a dream - it will be enough for a younger student to simply lie down in silence in order to restore his strength in half an hour or an hour.

Of course, this time is not for watching TV or playing on the phone.

How much and how much should a student at the age of eight sleep?

Healthy sleep regimen for an 8-year-old schoolboy during the day and at night

At the age of 8 years, you can safely remove the daytime sleep of a schoolboy.

However, if your baby is engaged in some additional circles or sections, he needs daytime sleep.

Sleep duration of a child at 8 years of age

At 8 years old, a child needs 10-11 hours of sleep. At the same time, you can allocate one hour for daytime sleep, putting the student to bed immediately after school.

Why does a child at 8 years old sleep anxiously or stop sleeping altogether?

If your child does not feel well, sleeps and eats poorly, is naughty a lot, it is advisable to consult a doctor.

But if your child refuses to sleep during the day, while not complaining about well-being and fatigue, then you can be calm - he just gets enough sleep at night.

Why does a child sleep constantly at 8 years of age?

If your baby began to sleep a lot, then you should review his daily routine and reduce the load. After all, prolonged sleep is the first sign of overwork.

Perhaps the school load is beyond the strength of the child, or additional classes have become superfluous.

How much do children sleep at 9 years old?

Sleep schedule for children aged nine years during the day and at night

At the age of nine, a child can already calmly decide how much time he needs to sleep.

No need to force the child to sleep during the day.

If the child does not mind, you can simply give him an hour of quiet pastime in a horizontal position (for example, relax on the couch, listen to a book or music, relieve stress after school).

Sleep duration in children aged 9 years

At night, the student should sleep 8-10 hours, and during the day one hour will be enough.

Nine-year-olds rarely sleep during the day, but daytime rest is essential at this age.

Why does a nine-year-old child not want to go to bed?

If a child of 9 years old does not want to sleep, then this may be due to the fact that he does not want to part with his favorite pastime or he has not yet finished playing his favorite game. In these cases, it will be hard enough to get him to sleep.

Try to take the child in the evening with some active actions so that he quickly uses up energy and falls asleep calmly in the evening.

The time for all active activities is until 6 pm. Give the last 2 hours before bed to quiet games. Games before bedtime overexcite the psyche, and then it will be even more difficult to put the child to bed.

Why does a nine-year-old child sleep in class?

If your child overworks very quickly, falls asleep during the day at home and even in class, it's time to reconsider his daily routine and increase the duration of his nightly sleep.

Children at this age experience a huge variety of vivid emotions, so overwork is a completely natural phenomenon. But, of course, it must be fought.

How much sleep does a 10 year old child sleep?

The schedule of proper sleep in children of ten years of age

At 10 years old, it is already difficult enough to get children to go to bed when they need to. That is why it is better to draw up a sleep schedule with the child when he should go to bed and wake up.

Sleep duration in 10 year olds

A ten-year-old child should sleep 8-9 hours a day, while you can set aside an hour for daytime sleep.

Causes of restless sleep in a child aged 10 years

If the child does not want to sleep during the day, then you do not need to force him, since this will not lead to anything good. Just put it in the evening a little earlier than usual.

If the child is tormented by nightmares, then give him 10 drops of valerian before going to bed, carefully ventilate the room.

A child at 10 years old constantly sleeps: why?

If the child sleeps a lot, it is impossible to wake him up in the morning, and immediately after school he hurries to go to bed, then this is a sure sign that it is necessary to reduce the load.

How much and how does a child sleep at 11 years of age?

Sleep patterns in children aged 11 years

11 years old is the beginning of a transitional age, so good sleep and proper nutrition are the main things in the life of children.

On average, a child should sleep 9-10 hours. With this, you can also add one hour for sleep after school.

Sleep duration in an 11-year-old child

If your child sleeps for one hour during the day, then we can safely say that this is only a superficial sleep that helps to restore strength.

At night, several phases of sound and superficial sleep alternate, so it is quite easy to wake a child during the phase of superficial sleep.

Why can't a child sleep during the day or at night?

If your child sleeps little at night, and refuses to sleep at all during the day, then perhaps during the day he was too active or too emotional. In this case, you need to see a doctor.

Also, another reason for restless sleep can be problems with well-being.

11 year old sleeps all the time

Constant sleep is a sign of overwork. Therefore, you should reduce the load and see if the child returns to normal sleep.

The dream of a child at the age of twelve

Sleep patterns in children aged 12 years of age

A child at 12 usually decides for himself how much sleep he needs, since it is almost impossible to get him to sleep during the day or at night.

However, there are times when the child is very busy with lessons, extra classes and sections. This is where naps become a necessity.

Sleep duration in a 12-year-old child

At the age of 12, a child gets 8-9 hours of sleep.

However, if his busy regime requires it, you can add one hour of sleep during the day.

Why does a 12 year old not sleep well?

If your child cannot sleep, then you should consult a doctor. After all, the cause of this may be a hormonal failure or problems with blood vessels.

If the child does not want to sleep during the day, then do not force it. This means that he simply does not need this extra hour of sleep, because he gets enough sleep during the night.

Why does a child sleep a lot at 12?

If the child sleeps a lot, then this is not scary. This phenomenon is associated with a transitional age.

However, it also happens that prolonged sleep is accompanied by lethargy, fatigue and headaches. This is a reason to see a doctor.

How much and how does a child of thirteen years of life sleep?

Sleep and wakefulness in a child at 13 years old

At the age of 13, a child already reaches the age of puberty, so sleep is a very important part of his life.

Daytime sleep can be completely excluded at the request of the child.

However, there are times when the child himself wants to sleep during the day (in this case, you can not deny him this pleasure). One hour of daytime sleep is enough.

Sleep duration in 13 year olds

In adolescents, sound and superficial sleep are equally divided (50% are superficial, and the other 50% are sound).

At this age, the child is already able to understand whether he wants to sleep or not. Therefore, if he does not get enough sleep, then simply advise him to go to bed 1-2 hours earlier than usual.

Why does the child sleep poorly or not sleep at all?

Oddly enough, but lack of sleep and lack of sleep in a child at this age is a hormonal failure.

You can give your teen a mild herbal sedative to calm a violent nervous system and prepare the child for sleep.

A 13-year-old child often wants to sleep

If your child began to complain that he wants to sleep, or you yourself noticed that after studying he hurries to bed, then you can rest assured that the reason is overwork.

During puberty, a lot of energy is spent to maintain the body's work, so you should monitor both the sleep pattern and the diet of a teenager so that the body has enough protein and vitamins.

If nothing changes, see your doctor. The reason may lie in various diseases.

It is well known that in a dream, children grow, the sick recover, and all people, regardless of age, gain strength. Those who sleep well, think better, achieve great success in the sports field and look younger than their years. In general, the importance of good sleep cannot be overestimated. It is especially important to get enough sleep for those who are just starting to grow and develop.

Sadly, pediatricians are increasingly stating the fact that modern children do not get enough sleep. A lack of sleep in a child is much more dangerous than a lack of sleep in an adult. Children who sleep significantly less than normal grow more slowly and develop worse than their peers. This is easily explained. First, during sleep, growth hormones are produced. Secondly, a good sound sleep contributes to a better memorization of previously received information. Thirdly, general weakness due to lack of sleep makes it difficult to fully assimilate information.

In addition, in low-sleeping children, the likelihood of developing diseases of the cardiovascular system is weakened and increases. Sleep-deprived children become nervous, absent-minded, fussy. This applies to all children regardless of their age: both babies and young men should sleep equally well.

Parents are obliged to provide the child with a full healthy sleep in sufficient quantities. And how much sleep can be considered sufficient? How long should a child sleep?

How much sleep should a child have?

For children, as for adults, the normal amount of sleep is individual. Some kids sleep more, some less. The figures given by doctors are an average. In general, they should strive for.

These figures reflect the total amount of sleep per day, that is, taking into account both night sleep and daytime sleep.

Why does the child sleep less?

The reason may be that the parents do not create the necessary conditions for a comfortable falling asleep and a good sleep for the child. How to create these conditions and help the child sleep better, we will talk a little lower.

If your baby sleeps 1.5-2 hours less than most of his peers, this should alert you. To begin with, try to understand what is the reason: in the individual characteristics of the child's body or in the absence of conditions for normal falling asleep and good sleep. You need to take good care of your child. If he is alert, active, develops normally, demonstrates a good memory, rarely gets sick, does not show excessive nervousness, then he gets enough sleep. He just needs a little less sleep than most of his peers.

If you notice signs of lack of sleep in your child, and you are sure that you have created all the conditions for normal sleep, you should seek the advice of a doctor.

Healthy sleep of the child. How should a child sleep?

1. Sleep at the same time. In order for the child to get enough sleep, it is necessary to follow the regime and put him to bed at the same time. This is especially true for night sleep.

Make it a rule to put the child to bed, for example, at 21 o'clock. And never deviate from this rule. Let there be guests in the house, let the child become interested in the game, let the parents have things to do - everything should be postponed for the sake of the child's sleep.

If he gets used to going to bed at the same time, nothing will prevent him from relaxing in time and wanting to sleep. No game will seem more attractive to him than a fresh warm bed and a cozy pillow.

2. Preparation for sleep, relaxation, rituals. In order for the child to fall asleep easily and quickly, already an hour or two before bedtime, he should be in a calm atmosphere.

Noisy games, difficult puzzles, intellectual tasks, homework preparation, computer games, watching noisy long movies and cartoons, listening to loud music, etc. - all this should end an hour or two before going to bed.

The kid at this time can calmly play with toys or listen to a fairy tale read by his mother. An older child can read by himself, chat with his parents, watch a calm movie.

Yes, and not so much time will be left for quiet leisure, because direct preparation for sleep will require a lot of time. It is necessary to take a shower, brush your teeth, straighten the bed, change into pajamas, drink some water, etc.

By the way, the same actions performed every day before going to bed become a kind of ritual, the performance of which also helps the child tune in to sleep. And this, in turn, contributes to faster and deeper falling asleep and, as a result, better rest.

If, for example, a few sips of water before bedtime suddenly become a habit, do not try to wean your child from it. Let this be your ritual helper. If a child is used to parents reading a fairy tale to him, then he needs to read, regardless of employment.

3. Lightness in the stomach. The last meal should be 2 hours before bedtime (this does not apply to infants and children who are breastfed). Shortly before bedtime, a child can drink a cup of tea with 1-2 cookies or a glass of kefir, but not with a high-calorie one. Firstly, with ease in the body falls asleep more soundly. Secondly, dense high-calorie snacks before bedtime are bad for the stomach.

4. Comfortable atmosphere in the room. Before putting the child to bed, the room must be well ventilated. If the room is dry, after airing it is worth turning on the humidifier and bringing the humidity level to an acceptable level.

When the child goes to bed, you need to turn off the light. You can leave a dim night light if the baby asks for it. In no case should children be put to bed with the TV turned on or a flickering computer monitor. However, it is impossible to turn on the TV, the overhead light and the sound of the computer speakers even after the child falls asleep.

Light noises and lights may not wake him up, but they will make a child's sleep superficial. Because of this, the body will not get proper rest. If this happens consistently, the child will show signs of sleep deprivation. That is, he seems to be sleeping as much as necessary, but still does not get enough sleep. The reason is the lack of conditions. The room where the child sleeps should be fresh, dark and quiet. Regardless of the age of the child.

Any person understands that only with a long and sound sleep, forces are fully restored - physical and spiritual. This is especially important for children. But at the same time, not all parents know what the norm is. This is a serious omission. You need to know how much children sleep at a given age, and see if your son or daughter spends enough time in bed.

How much does a baby sleep in the first months of life

To begin with, let's tell you what the norm is

In the first month it is easier to tell how long he is awake. Because a healthy child, who is not bothered by anything, has only two modes at this time - food and sleep.

He sleeps about 8 to 10 hours a night. Moreover, during this time, he manages to wake up two or three times in order to properly refuel with mother's milk. During the day, he also sleeps 3-4 times, and sometimes more. So if a child who is not yet a month old sleeps 15-18 hours a day, this is a completely normal indicator. It is worse if he sleeps much less - perhaps some discomfort, pain or hunger interferes with him. You should definitely see a doctor to check it out. Sometimes the problem lies in a short frenulum - the child cannot fully suckle the breast, eats very slowly, spending a lot of energy on it. As a result, he lacks sleep, which affects his nervous system.

In two months the situation is almost the same. The child may well sleep 15-17 hours. But for some time he has already been looking around, studying the world around him. Although his main occupations are still sleep and food.

By three months, the picture changes slightly. In general, a baby sleeps for about 14-16 hours a day. Of these, 9-11 fall at night. He sleeps 3-4 times a day. He spends quite a lot of time not only eating, but also simply looking around the world around him, licking his fingers and any objects that he can put in his mouth, makes various sounds, smiles.

We count sleep up to a year

Now we will try to find out the norms of sleep and wakefulness of a child up to a year.

The time spent on sleep is reduced gradually, but constantly. From 4 to 5 months, babies sleep about 15 hours at night, and another 4-5 hours during the day, dividing this time into 3-4 periods.

From 6 to 8 months, a little less is allocated for sleep - 14-14.5 hours (about 11 at night and 3-3.5 during the day). The child sits confidently, crawls, explores the world around him in every possible way, actively eats various complementary foods, although mother's milk remains the basis of the diet.

Further, if we talk about the sleep norms of children up to a year by months, a period from 8 to 12 months follows. At night, the child still sleeps for 11 hours (plus or minus thirty minutes). But during the day she goes to bed only a couple of times, and the length of each sleep session is not too long - from 1 to 2 hours. In total, approximately 13-14 hours are accumulated per day - it is quite enough for the growing body to have a good rest, recharge with energy and successfully develop in all respects.

Baby up to 3 years old

Now that you know the sleep norms for children up to a year by months, you can move on to the next paragraph.

At two years old, a child sleeps about 12-13 hours at night. There may be two daytime sleep sessions, but most often children are limited to one, usually before lunch or immediately after it - and they sleep relatively little, rarely more than 1.5-2 hours. Which is understandable - the body is already a little stronger, and there are a lot of toys around, with which you can have a great time, actively developing.

By the age of three, night sleep is reduced to 12 hours. There is only one daytime sleep, it is advisable to adjust it to the period after dinner, so that the child does not run on a full stomach, but sleeps peacefully, assimilating the substances received during meals. Sleep during the day is already quite short - about 1 hour, rarely an hour and a half.

And older

At four years old and older, the child is already quite strong, he does not need as much sleep as before. In addition, there are various development options. Yes, and one month does not play such a role as in infancy, when the child and his needs change surprisingly quickly.

For example, some children between the ages of 4 and 7 feel best if they sleep 10-11 hours a night and do not take a daytime sleep break at all. Such a schedule does not suit others - in the middle of the day they become lethargic, do not want to play, act up until they fall asleep for at least an hour. But thanks to such a break, night sleep is reduced to 9-10 hours.

From 7 to 10 years old, children almost never go to bed during the day if they have enough night sleep - this period should be at least 10-11 hours.

By the age of 10-14, the child is already very close to an adult. Therefore, he usually sleeps 9-10 hours.

Finally, after the age of fourteen, he ceases to be a child, becoming a teenager, and in some cases an adult. This is where individual needs come into play. For some adults, 7 hours of sleep is enough, while others can only work productively if they spend 9-10 hours a day in bed.

So that each parent can easily remember these data, we indicate the sleep rates of children in the table below.

How to calculate how much a child sleeps

Many practical parents include the child's rest time in homemade tables. Children's sleep norms have been presented above. With such data, it is possible to determine how correctly and harmoniously the child develops.

You can start such a table from the very first days of life. Just write down what time he fell asleep, what time he woke up, and then summarize the results and compare with the data above.

The main thing is to accurately determine the compliance of the day regimen of your child with the sleep norms of children under one year old. The table must be kept not for one day, but for at least a week, and preferably two. In this case, you can accurately determine how much the average child sleeps per day. After all, there is always the possibility that the child was frightened by an extraneous sound, or that he simply had a stomach ache from something, which prevents him from sleeping peacefully. But having data for a significant period of time, you will get the most accurate result.

And here it is desirable to avoid rounding. Did the child sleep for 82 minutes during the day? So write it down, not limited to the vague wording "one and a half hours." Losing 10-15 minutes at each session of daytime and nighttime sleep, you may well miscalculate for an hour and a half, and this is an extremely serious error that will necessarily affect the reliability of observations.

Also, many parents are interested in the rate of heart rate in children in a dream. In fact, this figure can vary significantly even in one child - from 60 to 85 beats per minute. It depends on the position of the body, the presence of diseases, the phase of sleep (rapid or deep) and other factors. So in a quarter of an hour such drops are quite possible - you should not worry about this.

Is it always necessary to meet the standard

Some people are very concerned about the rate of sleep for a child by age. After scrupulous calculations, it turns out that their child does not get enough sleep (or vice versa, sleeps) for an hour, or even two. Of course, this can cause panic.

However, in fact, in most cases there is no cause for concern. The main thing is to watch how the child behaves after waking up. If he is fresh, cheerful, plays with pleasure, reads, draws and walks, and eats well at the appointed time, then everything is in order. Remember - first of all, sleep should satisfy the needs of the child, and not tables compiled by experts for "average" children.

Track how the child breathes in a dream - the norm is 20-30 breaths per minute for children under 3 years old, about 12-20 for teenagers. Moreover, breathing should be even, calm, without sobs and groans.

So if the child feels comfortable with the sleep mode he has chosen, there is definitely no need to worry.

How important is sleep?

But this point should be studied more closely. Everyone knows about the importance of sleep, but few can unequivocally say what threatens in childhood and adolescence.

To begin with, children who sleep less than 7-8 hours are usually in the worst physical shape. They get tired faster, are not able to withstand significant loads.

In addition, it affects the intellectual abilities. Memory, intellect, the ability to analyze the facts presented suffer. And the worst thing is that even if sleep is restored with age, and a person sleeps as much as necessary, missed opportunities cannot be returned - if the potential inherent in the child is not revealed at the right time, then it will never be revealed.

Of course, lack of sleep and the nervous system are harmful. Adults who slept little or poorly in childhood become more fearful, insecure, more likely to become depressed, and prone to stress.

So the importance of a child’s sleep norm cannot be overestimated.

What determines the duration of sleep

As you noticed, one child needs 15 hours a day for healthy sleep, while 12-13 is enough for his peer.

This is due to various factors. First of all - the fortress of sleep. After all, if you sleep in a dark room, in comfort and silence, then you can get enough sleep in less time than in a noisy room, which is relatively brightly lit, on an uncomfortable bed.

Also plays a role heredity. If 6-7 hours of sleep is enough for parents to feel great, we should expect that the child will approach these indicators over time.

Finally, lifestyle is very important. It is quite clear that a child who attends a couple of sports sections and spends a huge amount of energy will sleep longer (and, we note, more soundly - which has a positive effect on the nervous system) than his peer who spends the whole day at the computer.

What time to put the baby to bed

Another important question is how to choose the optimal sleep schedule. In infancy, a child often confuses day and night. He can oversleep all daylight hours and play or just mumble, look around all night long. But with age, he enters a certain schedule - it largely depends on the parents.

Experts believe that it is better for a child, like for any person, to go to bed early and get up early. As practice shows, people who go to bed at 9 pm and wake up at 5-6 am are characterized by increased efficiency, do not get tired longer, and have an excellent memory. So if possible, try to adjust the child's schedule for this mode. Of course, for this, parents will have to change their usual way of life.

Signs of sleep deprivation

Be sure to pay attention to whether the child has signs of sleep deprivation.

Chief among them is increased tearfulness. The child, who usually behaves perfectly, begins to cry, get upset at every occasion.

You should also be wary if the child sometimes goes to bed 2-3 hours earlier than usual - the body tells him that sleep is clearly not enough.

Children aged 1 year and older falling asleep and waking up crying is also a warning sign. They definitely need to sleep more, and parents should not only study the sleep norms of children after a year, but also provide a dark room, a comfortable bed and silence.

Are medications needed?

And here we can definitely say - no. The child is a tool with surprisingly flexible tuning. And any medicines, even those that, according to doctors, are harmless, can cause great harm to his health.

If a child is often upset and cries over trifles, he is sleepy, then just give him the opportunity to get enough sleep. Sometimes scandals in the family are the cause of lack of sleep - try to protect children from this terrible side of adult life.

The child sleeps less than peers, but at the same time feels great, is not inferior to friends in physical and intellectual development? This means that you should not worry at all - all processes in the body are going normally, and the son or daughter just sleeps as much as they need. Any attempts to correct the established schedule will only bring unnecessary problems.

Conclusion

Now you know the norms of sleep and wakefulness of a child up to a year and older. Therefore, you can easily calculate the optimal schedule, protect children from any health and developmental problems caused by chronic sleep deprivation.

Good sleep supports human health and performance. Especially important sleep for children. If the child does not sleep well, he becomes capricious, loses his appetite, and lags behind in physical development. Such a child is more prone to various diseases than other children. That's why it's so important for parents to know How much sleep does a child need (in hours).

Benefits of healthy sleep for children and adults

Brain cells have the opportunity to rest only during sleep. Benefits of healthy sleep for children and adults in that it protects the brain, prevents disturbances in the activity of nerve cells and ensures a normal human life. Rest during sleep and other organs. The skin of the face turns pink, the rhythm of heart activity and breathing slows down, the muscles relax and require less nutrients than usual. During sleep, body tissues accumulate fats, proteins, carbohydrates for subsequent work during wakefulness.

Some parents think that during sleep, the child is completely unaffected by the environment. It turns out that this is not so. For example, in a sleeping child, one can observe an increase in the pulse and respiration under the influence of sharp, odorous substances, cold, heat, and other factors. The great physiologist I.P. Pavlov established that while some parts of the brain rest during sleep, others carry out watchdog work, protecting the body from harmful influences.

How many hours should a child sleep in hours?

Depending on age, the duration of sleep and wakefulness of children varies. Installed exemplary norms in hours, how much a child should sleep. Depending on individual characteristics, the number of hours needed for healthy sleep may vary:

• A newborn baby sleeps almost all the time, his sleep is interrupted only at the time of feeding.
• A child up to 3-4 months sleeps for 1.5-2 hours between feedings and about 10 hours at night.
• Children from 4 months to 1 year old should sleep during the day, 3 times for 1.5-2 hours, and about 10 hours at night.
• It is useful for a child from 1 to 2 years old to sleep 2 times for 1.5-2 hours during the day, and 10 hours at night.
• The duration of daytime sleep for preschool children is 2-2.5 hours, and nighttime sleep is 9-10 hours.
• Finally, schoolchildren usually do not sleep during the day, but at night children over 7 years old need to sleep at least 9 hours.
• Children with diseases of the intestines, lungs, infectious diseases should sleep 2-3 hours more than is necessary for healthy children of the same age.

Table: how much sleep the child should (in hours)

What does a child need for healthy sleep?

• Primarily child always must sleep one. Sleeping in the same bed with adults can be harmful to his health. In the mouth and nose of adults, there are always a lot of microbes that can be pathogens for the baby. In addition, in a dream, a child may be frightened by an accidental touch, and then not fall asleep for a long time. But many experts speak positively about the joint sleep of mother and child in the first months of a baby's life.
• The clothes of the child during sleep should be loose and comfortable.
• In warm weather, it is advisable to put the child to sleep in the air - both during the day and at night: sleep in the fresh air is always stronger and longer. However, at the same time, try to protect the child from harsh external noises (barking dogs, car horns, etc.). In no case should the baby be allowed to overheat during sleep.
• Strictly ensure that preschoolers go to bed at 8 o'clock, and younger students - no later than 9.
• Do not accustom the baby to rocking and patting, telling stories.
• Intimidation of the baby before going to bed (“the wolf will come and take it away if you don’t sleep,” etc.) excites his nervous system. In such cases, children often wake up at night screaming, jumping out of bed, covered with cold sweat. However, do not ask the child about his fears, but calmly lay him down and sit by the bed until he falls asleep. With frequently recurring, persistent fears, seek help from a doctor who will prescribe the appropriate regimen and treatment.
• In no case do not resort to such means of lulling a child as wine, poppy infusion. Children are very sensitive to these poisons. They lead to poisoning and diseases of certain organs (for example, the liver, kidneys).
• Reading before going to bed, lying in bed, excites the child, spoils the eyesight.
• It is also harmful to watch television programs before going to bed, listen to the radio.
• Highly useful for healthy sleep (both children and adults) short quiet walks half an hour before bedtime.

Carefully and lovingly protect your child's sleep!