Determining the right bedtime for children is an important consideration for many parents. While every child’s sleep needs are unique, looking at general trends can help provide a guide for an appropriate bedtime based on age. Understanding factors like sleep requirements, bedtime routines, and setting consistent sleep schedules can help ensure your child gets sufficient rest for healthy development.
Typical Bedtimes by Age
Bedtime often correlates closely with age, as sleep requirements shift as children grow. Here are some general guidelines on typical bedtimes by age group:
- Newborns (0-3 months) – Newborns need 14-17 hours of sleep per day, including naps. They have no circadian rhythm and sleep in stretches around the clock. Bedtime is whenever they show signs of tiredness.
- Infants (4-11 months) – Infants need 12-15 hours of sleep per day. A bedtime between 6:00-8:00 pm is common, with earlier times for younger infants.
- Toddlers (1-2 years) – Toddlers need 11-14 hours of sleep daily. A bedtime between 7:00-8:00 pm is typical for this age.
- Preschoolers (3-5 years) – Preschoolers need 10-13 hours of sleep each day. A bedtime between 7:00-8:30 pm is common.
- School-age (6-13 years) – School-age children need 9-11 hours of sleep nightly. Bedtimes range from 7:30-9:00 pm for this age group.
- Teens (14-17 years) – Teens need 8-10 hours of sleep each night. Bedtimes tend to shift later to between 9:00-10:30 pm.
Of course, these are just averages—some children will consistently need more or less sleep than these guidelines suggest. The most important thing is tuning into your child’s unique sleep needs and patterns.
Factors Influencing Ideal Bedtime
A number of different factors can impact determining the optimal bedtime for a child beyond just their age, including:
- Sleep Needs – Every child has unique sleep needs based on genetics, health, development, and personality. Observing your child’s sleep patterns and how long they sleep can help gauge their needs.
- Circadian Rhythm – A child’s internal “body clock” impacts when they naturally become drowsy and awaken. Bedtime should align with a child winding down.
- School/Activity Schedule – Bedtime should allow sufficient sleep duration given when a child needs to wake for school, activities, etc. Earlier rise times often warrant earlier bedtimes.
- Health – Underlying health issues like sleep apnea can affect sleep quality and duration, requiring an adjusted bedtime routine.
- Daytime Naps – Naps impact nighttime sleep needs. As naps decrease with age, bedtimes often shift slightly later.
Paying attention to these factors and your child’s behavior around sleep can help determine an optimal target bedtime that meets their needs.
Bedtime Routines
Establishing a consistent and relaxing bedtime routine is key to setting your child up for a smooth bedtime and good night’s rest. Here are some elements to include in a good bedtime routine:
- Calm activities like reading books and taking a bath 1-2 hours before bed.
- Brushing teeth and washing up.
- Getting into pajamas.
- Keeping lights dim and screens/devices off.
- Saying goodnight with kisses, hugs, stories, and lullabies.
- Keeping noise, conversations, and stimulation low.
A predictable, peaceful routine signals to a child’s body that it’s time to wind down and get ready for sleep. Making it 20-30 minutes long and repeating it at around the same time each night helps establish sleep cues.
Setting a Consistent Bedtime
In addition to a good bedtime routine, setting a regular bedtime is important for promoting healthy sleep. Tips for instilling a consistent bedtime include:
- Choose a proper bedtime based on your child’s age, sleep needs, schedule, etc.
- Stick as close as possible to the same time 7 days a week.
- Allow children under 7 some flexibility of 30-60 minutes.
- Be firmer on timing for older kids who need more consistency.
- Use wake time to reset bedtime if needed after occasions that disrupt routine.
- Make exceptions only for special occasions to avoid bad habits.
- Reinforce bedtime with reminders as the time approaches.
A steady bedtime rhythm helps regulates a child’s biological clock and leads to better, more restful sleep overall. Being flexible within reason can help make it sustainable long-term.
Bedtime by Age Statistics
National surveys and sleep studies provide data that gives a picture of typical bedtimes across different age groups. Here are statistics on when children are going to bed based on research:
| Age | Typical Bedtime Range |
|---|---|
| Newborns | Anytime |
| Infants (4-11 months) | 6:00-8:00 pm |
| Toddlers (1-2 years) | 7:00-8:00 pm |
| Preschoolers (3-5 years) | 7:00-8:30 pm |
| School-age (6-13 years) | 7:30-9:00 pm |
| Teens (14-17 years) | 9:00-10:30 pm |
These ranges represent when the majority of children in each age group are going to bed. The “normal” bedtime shifts later as kids get older and require less sleep overall. However, individual variability exists within and across age groups based on sleep needs and preferences.
Key Survey Findings
National infant sleep surveys have provided the following key findings on bedtimes for babies:
- 71% of infants 0-2 months old go to sleep between 10 pm-midnight.
- 50% of infants 3-5 months old go to sleep between 9-10 pm.
- Over 50% of infants 6-11 months old go to bed between 7-9 pm.
This data shows a trend of bedtimes getting earlier as babies grow in the first year. By 6 months, most babies have a bedtime in the 7-9 pm range.
Preschoolers
Studies of preschool-aged children have found:
- Kids aged 3-5 go to bed between 7:24 pm-8:30 pm on average.
- 97% of parents report a usual bedtime for their preschooler.
- Children with early school start times tend to have earlier bedtimes.
A bedtime between 7:00-8:30 pm is typical for most preschool-aged kids based on parental reports.
School-Age Children
Key patterns seen in research on school-age children include:
- Elementary school kids have a median bedtime around 8:30 pm.
- Kids in grades 1-5 go to bed between 8:05-9:01 pm on average.
- Up to 30% of school-age kids go to bed after 9 pm.
- Children with later school start times often have later bedtimes.
While bedtimes get progressively later as kids advance through elementary school, most go to bed between 8:00-9:00 pm based on multiple sleep studies.
Teens
Notable survey results for bedtimes among teenagers include:
- Teens aged 14-18 have a median bedtime of 10:00-10:30 pm.
- Boys reported going to bed about 15 minutes later than girls on average.
- Teens get an average of 7-7.4 hours of sleep per night.
- 30-40% of teens regularly get less than 7 hours of sleep.
These findings demonstrate the shift towards later bedtimes seen in adolescence, with most teens going to bed between 9:30-11:00 pm. Many also sleep less than recommended.
International Bedtime Trends
Looking at bedtime patterns internationally reveals some interesting differences across cultures and regions.
Europe
- British preschoolers go to bed around 7:00-7:30 pm on average.
- German preschoolers average bedtimes between 6:30-7:30 pm.
- Swiss school-age children average bedtimes around 8:30 pm.
- Italian teens go to bed around 10:00-11:00 pm typically.
Overall, bedtimes in European countries tend to follow similar age-based patterns to the U.S.
Asia
- Chinese toddlers average bedtimes around 9:00 pm.
- Japanese elementary students normally go to bed around 9:00 pm.
- South Korean teens have bedtimes around 11:00 pm-12:00 am.
Asian countries tend to have later bedtimes across childhood age groups compared to Western norms.
South America
- Argentinian toddlers are often in bed by 8:00-9:00 pm.
- Ecuadorian preschoolers average bedtimes between 7:00-8:00 pm.
- Colombian adolescents normally go to bed around 10:00-11:00 pm.
South American bedtimes are relatively aligned with patterns seen in North America and Europe.
Impact of Bedtime on Health and Development
A child’s bedtime can have significant impacts on their health, behavior, and development. Key effects include:
- Sleep duration – Earlier bedtimes promote longer nightly sleep.
- Daytime sleepiness – Later bedtimes associate with increased daytime tiredness.
- Mood – Insufficient sleep can negatively impact mood and behavior.
- Learning and memory – Adequate sleep aids cognitive functioning and academic performance.
- Weight – Poor or inadequate sleep is linked to increased obesity risk.
- Safety – Insufficient sleep raises injury risk from accidents and mistakes.
Setting an appropriate bedtime is an important way parents can ensure healthy sleep and promote their child’s overall well-being.
Parental Control Over Bedtime
Parents exert significant control over a child’s bedtime, especially at younger ages. However, parental influence shifts as kids get older.
- Babies have no self-regulation of sleep. Bedtime is fully parent-determined.
- Young children begin developing sleep habits and rituals but still require parental guidance.
- Older children can engage in limit-setting but may try to negotiate later bedtimes.
- Teens gain more autonomy but still need parental monitoring and structure.
While kids gain more independence around bedtime with maturity, parental involvement remains crucial through adolescence and beyond.
Conclusion
An appropriate, consistent bedtime provides essential health and developmental benefits for growing children. While sleep needs vary, general age-based norms can serve as guidelines. But parents should also observe their child’s unique sleep patterns and requirements when setting a suitable bedtime routine. Establishing structured bedtime habits early on and reinforcing them with consistency helps ensure kids get the rest they need for robust development and wellness.