Sleep hygiene How much sleep do our children really need?

Age-dependent: How much sleep do children really need??
More and more people suffer from sleep problems. Who does not rest sufficiently at night, endangers his health. But how much sleep is actually needed for children. Experts explain that age matters most here. But the need for sleep can also be very different individually.

Problems with falling asleep or staying asleep
More and more people suffer from chronic sleep deprivation. According to experts, every second adult often has problems falling asleep or staying asleep. Many children and adolescents also suffer from permanent sleep deprivation. But every age group needs enough sleep. Among other things, it improves attention, the ability to learn and promotes balance, say the experts of the Professional Association of Paediatricians (BVKJ). So it is important for both the physical and the mental health.

People of all ages need adequate sleep. He is important for physical and mental health. But how long should the night's sleep be for children? (Image: Africa Studio / fotolia.com)

Sleep requirements depend on the age
"The need for sleep is dependent on age and can also be very different," said Professor Dr. med. Hans-Jürgen Nentwich, who provides a rough orientation on the website based on the current American recommendations, which largely coincide with the German. Thus, babies between four months and one year need about twelve to 16 hours of sleep over 24 hours, one to two year olds need about eleven to 14 hours, and three to five year ten to 13 hours - including morning and afternoon sleep. With older ones, the duration is reduced slightly. For example, schoolchildren between the ages of six and twelve should sleep about nine to twelve hours at night, and adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18 should sleep eight to ten hours a night.

Changes in the daily routine necessary
If parents are unsure if their child sleeps enough, a sleep diary can be helpful. This is recorded for three weeks, when the offspring fell asleep, how long he has slept, how often he has woken up and under what conditions sleep was interrupted. "Young children can still wake up regularly until they are five years old without being disturbed," says Professor Nentwich. The entries in the sleep diary can help the pediatrician to see if any changes in the daily routine can improve the child's sleep quality, if further action is needed, or if parents worry unnecessarily. "Often it is enough to create a pleasant and quiet routine for bedtime and a sleep-in ritual," said the expert.

When children do not want to sleep
But there is more that one can do if little children do not want to sleep. So the little ones should be active during the day to be busy. Some experts believe that nocturnal sleep disturbances can be promoted by nap and therefore not all children need one. The German Society for Paediatrics and Youth Medicine (DGKJ) also explained: "Bedtime should be fun and not punish." And: "Sport or exciting activities such as television, computer games, exciting reading and the like. at bedtime hinder a restful sleep. "(ad)