November Health news from Nurse Mittica:
Help Your Child Get the Sleep They Need
Parents can support good sleep habits such as:
Sticking to a consistent sleep schedule during the school week and weekends. This means going to bed at the same time each night and getting up at the same time each morning. Adolescents whose parents set bedtimes are more likely to get enough sleep.6 To help decide on a good bedtime for your child, go to the Bedtime Calculator.external icon
Limiting light exposure and technology use in the evenings.
Parents can limit when their children may use electronic devices (sometimes referred to as a “media curfew”).
Parents can limit where their children may use electronic devices (for example, not in their child’s bedroom).
Other tips for better sleep are available at CDC’s Tips for Better Sleep.
How much sleep someone needs depends on their age. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has made the following recommendations for children and adolescents1:
Age Group Recommended Hours of Sleep Per Day
6–12 years 9 to 12 hours per 24 hours
13–18 years 8 to 10 hours per 24 hours