Sleep In Children: How Much Is Enough For Babies, Toddlers, Kids And Teens?

New guidelines for how much sleep is needed for children have been released by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The guidelines cover children from four months up to teenagers aged 18.

The Guardian reported that the academy recommended 12 to 16 hours of sleeping time, including naps for babies who are from 4 months to one year. Those younger than four months were said to be excluded "because they have a wide range of normal sleep patterns."

Children aged one to two were recommended to sleep from 11 to 14 hours , including naps while those aged three to five had a recommended sleeping time of 10 to 13 hours, including naps . Nine to 12 hours are recommended for those aged six to 12 and eight to 10 hours for those aged 13 to 18 years old.

How much sleep should a child get every night? US experts reveal the answer https://t.co/qY7B8XE5Sm

— The Guardian (@guardian) June 13, 2016

Effects Of Having Enough Sleep

The academy's research revealed that children who are able to have enough hours of sleep "benefits both their health and overall happiness," Mirror reported. It was also noted that children with enough sleep are more inclined to have better attention span, behavior, learning, memory and overall quality of their lives.

In contrast, children who do not have enough sleep are reportedly associated with childhood depression, diabetes, injuries and obesity. They also tend to be more irritable and have greater chances of hurting themselves and thinking of killing themselves.

Oversleeping Has Bad Consequences Too

Live Science reported that regular oversleeping in children also has negative effects on their health. Such health problems may be diabetes, high blood pressure mental health problems and obesity.

The American Academy of Pediatrics endorsed the sleep guidelines in children. The academy reportedly reviewed existing research on the relationship between sleep duration and children's health to come up with the recommended length of sleep for children across ages.

Is your child and other children you know getting enough sleep based on the sleep guidelines? Write your comments below.