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Sleeping

On this page

  • Key points
  • What is typical?
  • What are the common concerns?
  • What can I do?
  • Who can I speak to?

Key points

  • Getting enough sleep is vital for your child's physical health, brain function, emotional wellbeing, safety, and ability to function day-to-day. 
  • A child who does not get enough healthy sleep may experience difficulties with concentration, memory, regulating their emotions, organising tasks and creative thinking. 

What is typical?

**Sleep needs change throughout your child's life depending on the life stage that they are in. ** Typically, children should sleep:

  • infants (0–3 months): 14–17 hours, including naps
  • infants (4–12 months: 12–16 hours, including naps
  • toddlers (1–2 years): 11–14 hours, including naps
  • preschool (3–5 years): 10–13 hours, including naps
  • school-age (6–13 years): 9–12 hours

What are the common concerns?

How can I tell if my child isn’t getting enough sleep? A child who isn’t getting enough sleep may:

  • fall asleep during the day
  • be hyperactive (especially younger children)
  • have trouble paying attention
  • struggle with school work  
  • be cranky, whiny, irritable, or moody
  • have behavior problems

Signs of sleep problems include:

  • Sleepwalking
  • Wetting the bed
  • Night terrors
  • Teeth grinding
  • Snoring
  • Trouble breathing while asleep, or taking long pauses between breaths

What can I do?

  • Stick to a regular bedtime. You can give your kids a heads-up 30 minutes and then 10 minutes beforehand.
  • Establish a bedtime routine which might include having a shower or bath, brushing teeth, reading a book, or listening to quiet music, singing a lullaby and picking a stuffed animal to sleep with.
  • Turn off all screens (TV, computers, phones, tablets, and video games) at least 1 hour before bedtime.
  • Setting the thermostat to a slightly cooler temperature
  • Using dark curtains to block out light, or use a nightlight if they’re scared of the dark

Who can I speak to?

If you think your child may have a sleep problem, especially if they have trouble breathing while they sleep, talk to your general practitioner (GP), paediatrician or Maternal and Child Health nurse.

Helpful reading

Sleep and settling for early childhood - Typical Sleep Behaviour for Newborns 0-3 months

Newborns generally sleep 12 – 16 hours in a 24-hour period and do not know the difference between day and night. Newborns need regular feeding, so they usually sleep and short periods.

Sleep and settling for early childhood - Typical sleep behaviour for babies 6–12 months

Babies at 6 – 12 months are beginning to know the difference between night and day. They may not need to wake up as much at night because night feeds will have reduced. At this age, most babies sleep 10 – 14 hours in a 24-hour period. Their longest sleep period tends to be at night.

Sleep and settling for early childhood - Typical sleep behaviour for toddlers 2-3 years

Some toddlers may still wake at night and will need you to comfort them, especially if they have night-time fears. At this age, toddlers generally sleep 12 – 13 hours in a 24-hour period, including daytime naps of one to two hours.

Sleep and settling for early childhood - Typical sleep behaviour for babies 3–6 months

At this age babies generally sleep 10 – 18 hours in a 24-hour period and need your help to settle and go to sleep. Babies at three to six months still need to wake for regular feeding. Your baby at three to six months is now sleeping a bit longer, usually in periods that last two to three hours.

Sleep and settling for early childhood - Typical Sleep Behaviour for Toddlers 1-2 years

At this age, toddlers generally sleep 10 – 14 hours in a 24-hour period, including daytime naps of one to three hours. Some toddlers may still wake at night and will need you to comfort them, especially if they have night-time fears.

Sleep and settling for early childhood - Typical sleep behaviour for preschoolers 3–5 years

Preschoolers generally sleep for 10 – 13 hours in a 24-hour period, and some children will no longer have a daytime nap. Many preschoolers will have nightmares and night terrors and may want to get into bed with you for comfort.

Sleep and settling for early childhood - Preventing sleep concerns for babies 6–12 months

To strengthen the bond with your baby as they grow and develop, you need to provide lots of love, attention and different experiences. Learning about your baby and their tired signs will help to settle your baby. They usually need your help to settle and go back to sleep.

Sleep and settling for early childhood - Preventing sleep concerns for toddlers 1–3 years

Toddlers are growing, learning and developing quickly. By understanding and connecting with your toddler you will learn their cues and be able to support positive sleep patterns.

Sleep and settling for early childhood - Preventing sleep concerns: preschoolers 3–5 years

By understanding and communicating with your preschooler you will learn their cues as they grow and develop. This will help to support positive relationships and sleep patterns.

Sleep and settling for early childhood - Solutions to sleep concerns for babies 6–12 months

If your baby’s sleeping patterns are not affecting you or your family and you have strategies that work, then you do not have a sleep concern. If your baby's sleeping patterns are having a negative impact on you or your family and this concerns you, then you have a sleep concern.

Sleep and settling for early childhood - Solutions to sleep concerns for toddlers 1–3 years

It can be difficult to know whether your toddler is experiencing a sleep or settling concern. If your toddler's sleeping patterns are not affecting you or your family and you have strategies that work, then there may not be a sleep concern.

Sleep and settling for early childhood - Solutions to sleep concerns: preschoolers 3–5 years

It can be difficult to know whether your preschooler is experiencing a sleep or settling concern. If your preschooler's sleep patterns are not affecting you or your family and you have strategies that work, then they may not have a sleep concern.

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