How much do children sleep at different ages, how do you create a good nighttime routine and how do children’s sleep cycles really work? In this article, we go over basic information about children and their sleep.

How long do children sleep for at different ages?
During the first three months, babies usually sleep around 15-18 hours per day. At 3-12 months of age, children sleep up to 17 hours per day, usually 9-12 hours at night and 2-5 during the day. Children aged 1-2 years usually sleep 12-14 hours per day, of usually 1-2 hours during the day.

All children are unique, if your child is different, that’s completely normal. If you feel that something about your sleep is not working as it should, you can always contact the children’s health centre.

Why do children wake up at night?
Waking up during the night is part of your child’s sleep pattern. A sleep cycle consists of four phases: drowsiness, light sleep, deep sleep and dream sleep. A sleep cycle is approximately 45-60 minutes, and between each cycle (when sleep is at its shallowest) it is common for the child to wake up. Even us adults often wake up at night, even if we usually don’t remember it.

Other common reasons children wake up at night are because they are hungry, want closeness, warmth or a clean nappy. When children are sick or have an upset stomach, they usually wake up more often.

During the night, the child processes information received during the day, and during periods when the child has received lots of new information, their sleep may be more restless. This may be the case, for example, when your child has made motor progress such as starting to crawl or when they go through a major change such as starting nursery. Your child needs more support and closeness during the night during these sensitive periods.

Is there anything I can do to help my child get the best possible sleep at night?
Children are different and their needs when it comes to sleep and sleeping habits during their first two years vary depending on age, developmental phase, temperament and what they are up to during the day. Parental personalities also play a role in finding sleeping habits that suit you.

What may be the best sleep routine for a period of time might need to change as the child gets older and their needs change. Try to experiment and listen to your child’s signals. To optimise your child’s sleep, you can generally aim to make bedtime and the time during the night as safe and predictable as possible for your child. Babies and young children, generally throughout their nursery years, have a great need for security and closeness during the night.

During the first months, it is good to try to have a flexible approach to your child’s sleep, since your child has not yet established a circadian rhythm. Sleep is now mostly controlled by hunger and satiation and can vary greatly from day to day. Try to get to know your child and follow their cue, such as giving them food when they seem hungry and helping them fall asleep when they seem tired. Keep things dark and quiet when your baby eats at night to show that it’s night.

At 3-4 months, many people find that some routines slowly begin to fall into place and their child begins to establish a circadian rhythm. It may now be time to introduce an evening routine before and at bedtime. Find a regular routine where you do something calm together that your child enjoys. Your evening routine may take different forms, but in general it is good to aim for fixed, regular times for when it starts, that it is calm with few stimuli and that it provides closeness to the parent. Aim for subdued lighting and less stimuli.

The evening routine serves several functions that support sleep. Closeness to the parent and the fact that it is the same every night provides a sense of security and predictability, which makes it easy to fall asleep. The reduced stimuli and calmer activities help the child to unwind and relax. It also supports your child’s natural circadian rhythm by signaling that it is evening and time to sleep. Falling asleep means letting go and no longer being awake and in contact with the parent or caregiver, so you can help your child fall asleep by being there and gradually reducing the level of closeness and contact until your child falls asleep.

To help your child fall asleep again, it is good to aim to provide as much contact and closeness as the child seems to need at the time, but no more stimulation than necessary. If your child wakes up, listen and try to work out what your child needs. If your child wakes up and seems calm, no contact may be needed at all for them to fall asleep again. One time, your child may need some reassuring words, another time, body contact such as a reassuring hand on the back may be needed.

If your child wakes up and is upset, you may need to hold them in your arms to soothe them. Providing as much contact and support as your child needs at that moment to fall asleep gives your child the knowledge that support is available when needed during the night. It gives your child a sense of security that is good for sleep, and your child will gradually be able to manage to go back to sleep on their own. Try to learn and listen to your child’s sounds and signals, let them decide how much contact is needed.