Bedtime
Having a regular bedtime is important for all ages. When you go to bed around the same time and get up at the same time every day your body will find it easier to naturally get tired and be ready for sleep around the same time every day.
Ages 3 to 5
10 to 13 hours of sleep is the goal for this age range. When your child stops their afternoon naps they will need to add an hour of sleep onto their night time sleeping. The easiest way to determine bedtime is counting backward from the time they need to wake up for the day. If you are waking them at 7:00 AM to get ready for the day, bedtime should be 6:00 to 9:00 PM to get 10 to 13 hours of sleep.
Ages 6 to 13
19 to 11 hours of sleep is the goal for your school-aged children. Having the right amount of sleep is the best way to prepare your child for the next day. They will perform better and be healthier with the right amount of sleep. Count backward from the time your child’s alarm is set to determine the best time for them to be getting into bed.
Ages 14 to 17
This age group needs 8 to 10 hours of sleep every night. This age may be a little trickier to get to bed at a set time but establishing a healthy and strong sleep pattern will help them throughout life with better health. Talk to your teens about the importance of sleep and try to work with them. They know by now how much time they need to get ready in the mornings before school and they should be able to set their alarms accordingly and independently get ready. By them picking a waking time you can calculate together to get them a great sleep pattern. Try aiming for the full 10 hours and allow them to try 9 hours if they seem to be waking up too early.
