A baby needs to sleep in a safe and quiet place. Sleep is as important for a baby as food. While sleeping, a baby's brain grows and develops. But do we know exactly how many hours children should sleep?

According to a study by the National Sleep Foundation, newborns (up to 3 months old) should sleep between 14 and 17 hours a day; infants (4 to 11 months old) between 12 and 15 hours; and toddlers (1 to 2 years old) between 11 and 14 hours.

Getting the right amount of sleep for their age has an impact on children's physical and mental development. During sleep, the body secretes hormones that are important for growth and tissue repair, strengthens the immune system, and improves the body's ability to fight infections.

Getting enough sleep also improves attention, concentration, and memory, which translates into better school performance. In addition, children who do not suffer from sleep deprivation tend to have better emotional control, less irritability, and a more positive attitude.

Several scientific studies have demonstrated the association between short sleep duration and an increased risk of long-term health problems, such as obesity, hyperactivity, impulsivity, type 2 diabetes, and low cognitive development.

Therefore, it is important to ensure that babies and children get the recommended amount of sleep for their age. Establishing consistent sleep routines and providing a suitable sleeping environment will help them reach their full potential and grow up to be healthy and happy children.

How many hours of sleep do children need?

How many hours should a newborn sleep? In the first days of life, babies need to sleep a lot, an average of 16 to 20 hours of sleep per day.

How many hours should a 3-month-old baby sleep? From 12 or 13 weeks onwards, it is normal for sleep hours to be reduced to 14 to 17 hours per day.

How many hours should a baby aged 4 to 11 months sleep? Between 12 and 15 hours per day, with 10 to 12 hours at night and 2 to 4 hours during the day. At this stage, if the child has been well trained, they will be able to sleep through the night.

How many hours should a child aged 1 to 2 years sleep? In the first year of life, children sleep 11 to 14 hours a day, including 1 or 2 hours of napping.

How many hours should a 3-year-old and 4-year-old sleep? At the end of preschool age, children need to sleep 10 to 12 hours a day.

How many hours should a child aged 5 to 7 sleep? School-age children should get between 9 and 10 hours of sleep.

How many hours should a child aged 7 to 9 sleep? At this age, children should ideally sleep for 8 to 9 hours.

How many hours should a child aged 11 and over sleep? From age 11 to adulthood, children should sleep between 8 and 8.5 hours a day.