Children's sleep: how much, and how to fix it

Roughly how much sleep children need

• Toddlers (1–2 years): 11–14 hours including naps.
• Pre-schoolers (3–5 years): 10–13 hours.
• Primary age (6–12 years): 9–12 hours.
• Teenagers (13–18 years): 8–10 hours.

Building a routine that holds

Consistency matters more than any single technique. The same wake time every day - including weekends - anchors the body clock more powerfully than the bedtime does.

• A predictable 30–45 minute wind-down: bath, pyjamas, story, lights low.
• Screens off at least an hour before bed and charged outside the bedroom.
• A cool, dark, quiet room, and bed used only for sleep.
• Put your child down drowsy but awake so they learn to fall asleep unaided.
• Avoid caffeine, including energy drinks and cola, from mid-afternoon.

When sleep problems are medical

Loud snoring, pauses in breathing, mouth breathing and restless sleep can indicate obstructive sleep apnoea, often from large tonsils or adenoids - and it presents in children as hyperactivity rather than sleepiness. Restless legs, severe night terrors, or persistent difficulty falling asleep despite good routines are all worth reviewing clinically. Sleep difficulty is also extremely common in autistic children and in ADHD.