Did you ever wonder how much sleep your kids SHOULD be getting rather than doing a lot of guesswork? Well, you are in luck be cause the American Academy of Sleep Medicine has some new guidlines it has laid out which include recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The recommendations range from up to 16 hours daily for babies to at least eight hours for teens. They come from a panel of experts and give parents good grounding when it comes to enforcing bedtimes because adequate sleep is linked with improved attention, behavior, learning, mental and physical health at every age covered. And insufficient sleep increases risks for obesity, diabetes, accidents, depression and in teens, self-harm including suicide attempts.
The recommendations are based on a review of scientific evidence on sleep duration and health.
THE GUIDELINES
Recommended daily/nightly sleep duration is:
- 12 hours to 16 hours including naps for infants aged 4 months to 12 months. Younger infants aren’t included because they have a wide range of normal sleep patterns.
- 11 to 14 hours including naps for children aged 1- to 2 years.
- 10 to 13 hours including naps for children aged 3 to 5 years.
- 9 to 12 hours for children aged 6 to 12 years.
- 8 to 10 hours for teens aged 13 to 18 years.
What do you think? Seem about right or do these guidelines come as a surprise to you?
SOURCES: American Association of Sleep Medicine
To receive similar content, “Like” us on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/niagarabuzz.ca
