Age

General Sleep Requirements

(hours)

Sleep Facts

Newborns

(1 – 2 months)

10.5 – 18

Newborns sleep both day and night. Sleep periods can last between a few minutes to several hours. Put your baby to sleep on his or her back on a firm flat surface. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is less common in babies who sleep on their back.

Infants

(3 – 11 months)

14 – 15

By six months, most infants can sleep through the night, but still need naps during the day. Naps can last anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours. Continue to put your baby to sleep on his or her back on a firm flat surface.

Toddlers

(1 – 3 years)

12 – 14

Toddlers still nap during the day, but usually only once for between one to three hours. To help your toddler fall asleep, try putting a comfort object (e.g., a stuffed animal or a blanket) in his or her crib or bed.

Preschoolers

(3 – 5 years)

11 – 13

Some preschoolers may have sleep problems, particularly when there’s a change in their routine (e.g., starting school). You should talk to your health care provider about your child’s sleep problems if they start happening more often or if they interrupt your child’s sleep on a regular basis.

School-aged children

(6 – 12 years)

10 – 11

School-aged children may resist going to bed and have trouble falling asleep. Establishing a bedtime routine will help get your school-aged children to sleep.

Teenagers

(13 – 17 years)

8 – 10

When they are able to, teenagers tend to go to bed later and sleep-in longer. This is because teenagers often have a shifted sleep schedule.

Adults

(18 – 64 years)

7 – 9

As adults, women tend to sleep more, go to bed earlier, and fall asleep faster than men. Women also tend sleep more lightly and to wake up more easily than men.

Seniors

(65 years or older)

7 – 9

Older adults tend to sleep more lightly, sleep for shorter periods of time, and have more sleeping disorders. Many seniors nap during the day to help get enough sleep.