How Much Sleep Do Kids Need?  

Carla, the Founder of All Things For Kids, shared with Healthy Lombard that most parents would agree that establishing healthy sleep habits is absolutely essential for growing kids. But how much do you really know about sleep? How much sleep do kids really need, and what’s the impact if they miss out on an hour or even half an hour?

Most that establishing healthy sleep habits is absolutely essential for growing kids. But how much do you really know about sleep? How much sleep do kids really need, and what’s the impact if they miss out on an hour or even half an hour?

Kids need different amounts of sleep, depending on how old they are, to support their mental and physical development. Sleep allows our bodies to absorb new information and solidify long-term memories. While we rest at night, our bodies work on muscle development, tissue growth, and organ repair and our brains eliminate disease causing-toxins.
 

Science shows that kids thrive on a regular bedtime routine. When children get the sleep they need, there are boatloads of benefits, including better memory, better behavior, better school performance, and a healthier immune system.

In contrast, the effects of a lack of sleep for an extended period of time include everything from hypertension and obesity to irritability and depression. In fact, missing out on an hour can have an impact on your child’s mood and behavior. Interestingly, when kids are overtired, instead of slowing down as adults do, the opposite occurs: they become increasingly hyper. Knowing what to look out for can help you identify an overtired child.

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