--- title: Top 3 Sleep Suggestions for Children and Teens description: What are the three most important things you should know about kids' sleep schedules? Find out in this post! image: https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hubfs/Website_Redesign_Photos/KIDS_JPGS-65_long_website.jpg --- **[![ASMS_logo_shadow_round](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ASMS_logo_shadow_round.png?width=200&name=ASMS_logo_shadow_round.png "ASMS_logo_shadow_round")](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/)** **Advanced Sleep Medicine Services, Inc.** The Sleep Experts`®` (877) 775-3377 ## Sleep Better, Live Better Blog ### *We believe that education is the first step to finding better sleep. Our articles educate people on sleep news, sleep disorders, and sleep care to help them achieve better health and live better lives. * *Thanks for joining the conversation.* ## [Top 3 Sleep Suggestions for Children and Teens](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/top-3-sleep-suggestions-for-children) Posted by [Julia Steele Rodriguez](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/author/julia-steele-rodriguez) Find me on: [Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/julia.steele818) [LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/in/juliasteele) [Twitter ](https://twitter.com/juliasteelerod) Sep 10, 2015 8:00:00 AM ![](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Website_Redesign_Photos/KIDS_JPGS-65_long_website.jpg?width=500&height=360&name=KIDS_JPGS-65_long_website.jpg) The past week, we have been running a series of blog posts on how sleep affects different groups of people: namely, [men](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/men-and-sleep-top-4-sleep-facts) and [women](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/women-and-sleep-what-you-need-to-know). But what about the younger sleepers among us?  Healthy sleep may be even more important for children and toddlers than for grown adults. Kids and teens [need more sleep](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/new-guidelines-how-much-sleep-do-you-need) (depending on the age, sometimes a lot more sleep) than adults. Plus, at this age, sleep quality and quantity can influence kids' emotional and mental development (for example, toddlers who skip naps are proven to be less happy and engaged than their well-rested counterparts.  So if you're the parent of a kid or teen, here are our **top 3 tips about children and sleep. ** # **Sleep Suggestions for Kids (of all ages)** ### **1. Children need a lot of sleep, and recommended hours vary by age. ** As babies, children spend most of their time sleeping. Newborns typically spend between 14 and 17 (and sometimes as much as 19) hours asleep per day. Even teens who are not yet 18 years old need more sleep than the average adult; they should be clocking 8-10 hours per night. Check out a more precise list of guidelines [here](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/new-guidelines-how-much-sleep-do-you-need). *Why it matters: It's important to make sure your child is getting all the sleep they need in a comfortable, quiet environment. It's also important to pay attention to your child's own circadian rhythms and let them sleep/nap when they are tired. * ### **2. Naps are important. ** Toddlers' circadian rhythms are often built around having naps in the middle of the day. Skipping naps can contribute to sleep deprivation. One study1 showed that missing even a single nap can restrict toddlers' ability to react to and enjoy their surroundings. After skipping a nap, the tested toddlers showed more negative responses to their surroundings, as well as a decreased ability to respond to puzzles. [Read more about the study here.](http://www.sleepdr.com/sleepbetterblog/toddlers-and-sleep-skipping-naps-decreases-joy-interest-and-understanding) *Why it matters: Make napping a regular part of your child's daytime schedule. This simple practice will help ensure that they are getting the adequate amount of sleep to be happy, inquisitive children.*   ### **3. Children can have sleep disorders too. ** Some common sleep disorders in children include night terrors (partial arousals from sleep accompanied by shouting or emotional outbursts), sleep walking, [nightmares](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/sleepbetterblog/how-to-handle-nightmares), and bedwetting. Adolescents can also experience something called [delayed sleep-phase disorder](http://www.sleepdr.com/sleep-disorders#circadian), in which they want to go to bed very late and have trouble waking up in the morning. Most of the time, children grow out of these conditions. Children can also experience sleep apnea, but the [causes and symptoms of the disorder in kids](http://www.sleepdr.com/sleepbetterblog/what-causes-sleep-apnea-in-children) may differ from adults. Oversized tonsils/adenoids are a common cause of childhood sleep apnea, which can often be cured by a tonsillectomy.  *Why it matters: If your child has a serious disorder that frequently disturbs his or her rest, it is important to talk to a doctor and think about having a [sleep study](http://www.sleepdr.com/sleep-studies). * ### **Teach Your Kids about the Importance of Sleep** Setting a good example for your children--both by helping them to implement a healthy sleep schedule and by following such sleep practices yourself--will influence them to adopt proper sleep habits as teens and adults. There are many resources at your disposal to help teach your kids about the importance of sleep, like [this ebook](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/reimagining-the-bedtime-story-ebook) by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, this [smartphone app](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/smartphone-app-gives-kids-sleep-recommendations) that gives free sleep recommendations to kids, and even the resources on [this blog](http://www.sleepdr.com/blog)! Sleep is so important to every aspect of mental, physical, and emotional functioning, so help raise the next generation of healthy sleepers!  **How do you get your kids to go to bed or lie down for a nap? Comment and share!** **[![Subscribe to our Blog](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/299691/96db0701-a121-4a6f-93ea-164b3df643aa.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/299691/96db0701-a121-4a6f-93ea-164b3df643aa) ** Sources:  [1) Berger, Rebecca H. et al. "Acute sleep restriction effects on emotion responses in 30- to 36-month-old children." University of Colorado, Boulder.](http://sleep.colorado.edu/sites/default/files/Berger%202012_0.pdf)   Topics: [Good Sleep Habits](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/good-sleep-habits), [Kids and Sleep](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/kids-and-sleep) ## Share this blog post: [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Ftop-3-sleep-suggestions-for-children%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on LinkedIn](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/linkedin-24x24.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Ftop-3-sleep-suggestions-for-children%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Ftop-3-sleep-suggestions-for-children%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Ftop-3-sleep-suggestions-for-children%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Top%203%20Sleep%20Suggestions%20for%20Children%20and%20Teens) [![Share on Pinterest](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/pinterest-24x24.png)](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Ftop-3-sleep-suggestions-for-children%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dpinterest&media=) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Ftop-3-sleep-suggestions-for-children%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Ftop-3-sleep-suggestions-for-children%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ### Subscribe to Email Updates Search our blog Search ### Posts by Topic - [Children and Sleep (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/children-and-sleep) - [Coffee (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/coffee) - [CPAP Alternatives (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/cpap-alternatives) - [CPAP Supplies (9)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/cpap-supplies) - [CPAP Treatment (25)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/cpap-treatment) - [Diabetes (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/diabetes) - [Doctor's Opinion (4)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/doctors-opinion) - [Economics of Sleep Medicine (15)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/economics-of-sleep-medicine) - [Good Sleep Habits (59)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/good-sleep-habits) - [Health Insurance (20)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/health-insurance) - [Heart Disease (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/heart-disease) - [Insomnia (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/insomnia) - [Job-Related Sleep Disorders (7)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/job-related-sleep-disorders) - [Kids and Sleep (20)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/kids-and-sleep) - [Narcolepsy (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/narcolepsy) - [Preparing for your sleep study (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/preparing-for-your-sleep-study) - [Sex and Sleep (7)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sex-and-sleep) - [Sleep and Exercise (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-and-exercise) - [Sleep and Society (41)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-and-society) - [Sleep Apnea (60)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-apnea) - [Sleep Business (3)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-business) - [Sleep Disorders (30)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-disorders) - [Sleep Studies (30)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-studies) - [Telemedicine (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/telemedicine) - [Treating Sleep Apnea (29)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/treating-sleep-apnea) - [Women and Sleep (14)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/women-and-sleep) ### Most viewed posts ### Recent Posts **Contact Us:** Advanced Sleep Medicine Services, Inc. Corporate Office 17835 Ventura Blvd. Suite 300 Encino, CA 91316 Phone (877) 775-3377 Fax (877) 855-6227  [info@sleepdr.com](mailto:info@sleepdr.com) ## **Top Links:** [Frequently asked questions (FAQs) ](http://www.sleepdr.com/frequently-asked-questions)[Download Service Request Form (Rx) ](http://www.sleepdr.com/service_request_form)[Request medical records ](http://www.sleepdr.com/request-medical-records)[See a complete list of locations ](http://www.sleepdr.com/locations)[Schedule an appointment ](http://www.sleepdr.com/schedule)[Sleep Better, Live Better Blog ](http://www.sleepdr.com/sleepbetterblog)[Contact us](http://www.sleepdr.com/contact) **About Us:** Our mission is to empower sufferers of sleep disorders, like sleep apnea, to lead more fulfilling lives by improving their sleep. We believe that by caring for and educating our patients and diagnosing and treating their sleep disorders we can help them achieve better health. With 20 locations across California, we are the leading provider of in-center and in-home (HST) sleep studies, PAP therapeutic devices, and replacement PAP supplies. We are contracted with more than 300 medical groups and commercial health plans. We partner with independent physicians who are at the forefront of the field of sleep medicine and together we provide high-quality, affordable, result-oriented and patient-centric diagnostic and therapeutic sleep medicine services. We strive to make all our interactions with patients, referring physicians, coworkers, and others courteous, caring and professional and we consider each interaction with our patients as an opportunity to live up to our commitment to the highest standards of patient care.  ### Subscribe to our blog: [![Twitter link](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hubfs/twitter-865437-edited.png "Twitter link")](https://twitter.com/mysleepdr)[![Facebook link](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hubfs/facebook-square-750598-edited.png "Facebook link")](https://www.facebook.com/AdvancedSleepMedicine)[![LinkedIn link](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hubfs/linkedin-815276-edited.png "LinkedIn link")](https://www.linkedin.com/company/advanced-sleep-medicine-services-inc) ## Original photos by Francisco Crow [www.fc-images.net](http://www.fc-images.net) All rights reserved. Our administrative offices AND sleep centers will be closed on Monday, September 5, 2016 in observance of the Labor Day holiday.