How Much Sleep Do Kids Need? Hours by Age and Bedtime Guide
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How much sleep kids need changes a lot between toddlerhood and the teenage years, and most Australian children get a little less than the guidelines suggest. The numbers are a guide, not a target to stress over. This guide covers the recommended hours by age, how to work out a lights-out time, signs your child is short on sleep, naps, what gets in the way, and when to see your GP.
The short answer: Australian guidelines recommend 11 to 14 hours a day for toddlers (including naps), 10 to 13 hours for preschoolers, 9 to 11 hours a night for children aged 5 to 13, and 8 to 10 hours for teenagers. Every child is a bit different, so watch how they cope during the day rather than counting minutes. Work backwards from wake-up time to set lights out, and keep it within an hour across the whole week. Regular naps after about age 5 can be a sign of too little sleep at night.
Recommended sleep by age
The Australian 24-hour movement guidelines set out how much sleep children need in each 24-hour period. Toddlers need 11 to 14 hours of good quality sleep, including naps, and preschoolers need 10 to 13 hours, with consistent sleep and wake-up times (source). From 5 to 13, the recommendation is 9 to 11 hours of uninterrupted sleep a night, and 8 to 10 hours for 14 to 17 year olds (source).
| Age | Recommended sleep | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 years (toddlers) | 11 to 14 hours | Includes daytime naps |
| 3 to 5 years (preschoolers) | 10 to 13 hours | Some still nap, many stop |
| 5 to 13 years | 9 to 11 hours | Uninterrupted night sleep |
| 14 to 17 years | 8 to 10 hours | Body clock shifts later |
The Sleep Health Foundation notes that some children aged 6 to 13 do well on anywhere from 7 to 12 hours, and some teenagers on 7 to 11 hours (source). Different organisations publish slightly different ranges. The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, for example, gives 10 to 11 hours for 7 to 12 year olds. Don't get caught on the exact edges. The overlap is what matters.
For babies, see newborn sleep tips for parents. For teenagers in more detail, see how much sleep teenagers need.
How to work out a lights-out time
The simplest method is to start from the time your child has to be up and count back.
- Pick the wake-up time for school or childcare days.
- Choose a sleep need from the middle of their age range.
- Count back to get a lights-out time, and start the routine before it.
The Sleep Health Foundation gives this example: a child who needs about 11 hours and wakes at 7am should have lights out at about 8pm (source).
| Wake-up time | Needs 10 hours | Needs 11 hours |
|---|---|---|
| 6:30am | Lights out 8:30pm | Lights out 7:30pm |
| 7:00am | Lights out 9:00pm | Lights out 8:00pm |
| 7:30am | Lights out 9:30pm | Lights out 8:30pm |
The Foundation also suggests that bedtime shouldn't vary by more than an hour across the week, school night or not. The same goes for wake-up time. If you're also wondering about your own bedtime, see what time should I go to bed.
Signs your child isn't getting enough
You can usually tell more from how a child acts during the day than from a sleep log. The Sleep Health Foundation lists effects of short sleep in children and teenagers that include:
- Trouble learning: less attention, poorer memory and problem-solving.
- Mood changes: irritability, low mood and less patience with others.
- Arguments at bedtime, especially about putting devices away.
- Hard to wake for school, then sleeping in late on weekends to catch up.
- Running late or missing school.
Some parents find an overtired young child looks wired rather than sleepy. A child who melts down every afternoon or falls asleep in the car on short trips may need an earlier night.
Naps: when they stop
The Sleep Health Foundation says daytime naps are normal until about 3 to 5 years old. Morning naps usually go first, and naps become less common from about 2 or 3 onwards. Consistent daytime naps after age 5 are not typical and may mean the child isn't getting enough sleep at night (source). Naps late in the afternoon, after about 4pm, can make it harder to fall asleep at night for all but the youngest children.
If your toddler is up at dawn, see toddler waking too early.
What gets in the way
Most children who are short on sleep aren't short because of a disorder. It's usually timing and habits.
- Screens in the bedroom. The Sleep Health Foundation cites Australian data that 25% of children aged 7 to 8 use mobile phones between 10pm and 6am, rising to 83% by age 17. Ideally, devices stay out of the bedroom.
- Caffeine. Cola, tea, chocolate and some sports drinks contain it. healthdirect suggests avoiding caffeine especially in the afternoon and near bedtime (source).
- Bedtime drifting later on weekends and holidays. See back-to-school sleep reset.
- No wind-down. A predictable routine makes it easier. See bedtime routine for kids.
When to see your GP
healthdirect says more than 1 in 3 children have a sleep problem. See your GP if your child snores loudly, has pauses or struggles to breathe while asleep, moves their legs a lot at night, wakes often, sleeps far more than expected, or seems tired despite enough time in bed. The GP may refer you to a paediatric sleep specialist. Melatonin for children needs a prescription in Australia. This guide is general information, not medical advice.
Where the Sovune Nudge fits
We make the Sovune Nudge, a vibrating alarm wristband, so we're not neutral. It won't help a child sleep more. Where it helps is the morning: older kids who need to wake themselves without a phone in the room, or a parent who's up first and doesn't want an alarm waking the house.
- Set on the band itself. No app, no phone, no Bluetooth, so the phone can stay out of the bedroom.
- Wakes with vibration on the wrist, starting as a gentle tap and building through three intensity levels.
- No speaker, no sound, so siblings sharing a room aren't woken.
- Vibrates for a full minute per alarm, and can be switched off sooner.
- Under 20 grams, with a soft adjustable strap that fits all wrist sizes.
It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Quick answers
How much sleep does a 7 year old need? Australian guidelines recommend 9 to 11 hours a night for children aged 5 to 13.
Is 8pm too early for a 10 year old? Not if they're up at 6:30 or 7am. Count back 9 to 11 hours from wake-up time.
Should my 6 year old still nap? Regular naps after about 5 are uncommon and can mean night sleep is too short. Try an earlier bedtime first.
Can kids catch up on sleep at the weekend? A little, but big weekend sleep-ins push the body clock later and make Monday harder. Keep wake-up time within an hour.
For every type of silent alarm compared, see our complete guide to vibrating alarms in Australia.