Mental Health & Wellbeing
How to help kids get the sleep they need at 5-11 years
Sleep is important for children’s growth, learning, development and mood. When your child sleeps well, they’ll be happy and have plenty of energy for the day ahead. Good-quality sleep helps your child concentrate, remember things, and manage their emotions and behaviour. This all helps your child learn well at school. Getting enough sleep is also important for your child’s health. That’s because it strengthens their immune system and reduces their risk of infection and illness.
How much sleep do kids need?
At 5-11 years, children need 9-11 hours sleep a night. For example, if your child wakes for school at 7 am and needs approximately 10 hours sleep per night, your child should be in bed before 9 pm.
Some children fall deeply asleep very quickly when they go to bed. Others sleep lightly for up to 20 minutes before getting into deep sleep.
Children have different kinds of sleep during the night. The first few hours of sleep are usually the deepest. Most dreams happen in the second half of the night.
How to help your child sleep well
A good night’s sleep is about getting to sleep, staying asleep and getting enough good-quality sleep.
A bedtime routine is very important at this age. It helps your child wind down from the day and feel ready for sleep.
For example, a child who normally goes to bed at 7.30 pm might have a bedtime routine that looks like this:
- 6.45 pm – put on pyjamas, brush teeth, go to the toilet.
- 7.15 pm – quiet time in the bedroom with a book and a bedtime story or quiet chat.
7.30 pm – goodnight and lights out.
Relaxing before bed
After a big day at school, your child might still be thinking about the day’s events and worries. If your child’s mind is busy at bedtime, it can be difficult for them to fall asleep. They might have a restless night or bad dreams.
You can help your child relax for sleep and sleep better by making time for calm, quiet activities in your child’s bedtime routine. For example, you could play gentle music, read a story together, or encourage your child to have a bath before bed. You can also help your child practice breathing exercises or muscle relaxation.
Good daytime and night-time habits for better sleep
These habits might help your child sleep better:
- Keep regular sleep and wake times, even on the weekend.
- Turn computers, tablets and TV off an hour before bedtime.
- Have a quiet and dimly lit place to sleep.
- Get plenty of natural light during the day, especially in the morning.
- Avoid caffeine in tea, coffee, sports drinks and chocolate, especially in the late afternoon and evening.
