The hardest part about having children of different ages is that they are able to do different things based on their age, maturity, school schedules, etc. This can be especially hard for younger children who take pride in feeling older. When it comes to getting adequate sleep, this can definitely be a challenge. Younger children with earlier bedtimes may want to stay up because their siblings are able to. However, you don't want to revert the older children because they feel as if they have progressed from their "childhood bedtimes". It's a tough balance, but it's necessary to prioritize the sleep health of the children over their individual desires. Continue reading to find out some great tips for balancing the different sleep schedules. 

Athletes need sleep for optimal performance. Sleep is a time when the body can perform many necessary repair processes for athletes to avoid injury and keep their energy levels high. However, the more muscular athletes are could actually impair their ability to get sleep. Continue reading to find out how sleep and body composition are related. 

School start times vary between elementary, middle and high school times making it difficult to establish and maintain a consistent schedule for K-12. However, sleep needs change as children develop and it's important that school start times reflect this change. What also needs to be considered when decided school start times is how they impact parents. Continue reading to see what optimal start times are for different age groups and how they impact everyone's sleep. 

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that impacts your ability to breathe during the night. Although discussed as a part of adult health, children could also be at risk for sleep apnea. It's important that you recognize if your child has sleep apnea and get them the proper help as proper oxygenation and quality sleep is important for their growth and development. 

For women, there is that time once a month when you experience your menstrual cycle. However, the menstrual cycle is not isolated to just those 3-7 days. There are often extra-cycle symptoms that affect women a majority of the days in a month. If there are numerous symptoms or the severity of them is great, then you may be diagnosed with PMS or PMDD. A common symptom that women with PMS or PMDD experience is insomnia. Continue reading to find out how your menstrual cycle may be negatively impacting your sleep. 

Cosleeping is a term for sleeping with your baby or child in the same bed. Although there are different theories on the safety and wellbeing effects of cosleeping, this practice may help you and your child in the long run. It's important to note that small infants who are at risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) should not be in the same bed, but should be in a separate space with a firm mattress and a fitted sheet to avoid suffocation. However, as children grow older and their safety risks decline, extended cosleeping may still be an option for your family. Read more to decide if this is the right move for your family.

How Many Hours of Sleep Do Children Need?

Children need more sleep than adults. The younger the child, the more sleep they need. Below is a guideline for the amount of recommended number of hours of sleep your child should be getting based on their age [Sleep Foundation]. All children are different and have unique needs, so below is a general guide, but it's important to be in tune to what your child needs and try to match that. 

Signs Your Child Isn’t Sleeping Enough

When your child isn’t sleeping enough, they will likely show signs. This is exactly what happens during "the witching hour", which refers to that time in the evening when our children get tired and start to be defiant, hyperactive, and/or crabby.

When children aren’t getting enough sleep, you may see more witching hour in your child than not. Signs your child isn’t sleeping enough are:

• Behavior that is consistent with ADHD signs
  • Hyperactivity
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Defiant behavior
  • Impulsive behavior
• Excessive sleep on weekends
• Falling asleep during the day, such as at school
• Poor or erratic performance at school
• Hard time waking up in the morning

In fact, there is an increasing body of evidence from studies that children with chronic sleep problems can be misdiagnosed with ADHD (Shur-Fen Gau 2006). Another important thing is to try and establish a baseline of behavior and performance for your child: what is normal and what is uncharacteristic.

If your child’s behavior/performance is erratic from day to day, or if they are uncharacteristically defiant/crabby/sleepy, look at their sleep schedule.

How Much Sleep Do Children Need?

Children need more sleep than adults. The younger the child, the more sleep they need. Below is a guideline for the amount of recommended, minimum, and maximum amount of sleep your child should be getting based on their age [Sleep Foundation]. It's important to note, however, that all children are different, and just because this list has a certain number doesn't mean your child couldn't fall outside of this list. 

How Much Sleep Do Children Need?

The amount of sleep babies and children need fluctuate from 17 hours for newborns to 9 hours for school-aged children [Baby Center]. A lack of sleep for children can significantly impact children's performance, both in school and in behavior.

For children with existing conditions that affect their learning, sleep problems further compound their inability to properly learn. 

How much sleep your child should be getting depends on how old they are. While every child is different, here is a rough estimate of how much sleep children should be getting based on age:

• Newbord: 16-17 hours day
• 1-12 months: 12-16 hours per day
• 1-2 years: 11-14 hours per day
• 3-5 years: 10-13 hours per day
• 6-12 years: 9-12 hours per day
• 13-18: 8 to 10 hours per day

The above numbers are total sleep hours, including naps.