What is good sleep for kids and teens?

A good night’s sleep is about getting to sleep, staying asleep and waking up feeling refreshed in the morning.

Getting to sleep

Most children fall asleep within 20 minutes of going to bed. How long it takes children to get to sleep can depend on how sleepy their bodies are. Also, daytime and bedtime routines can affect when children get to sleep. Bedtime routines help children wind down before bedtime, so they can fall asleep more easily.

Staying asleep

Children wake briefly during the night, but they might not be aware of being awake. To stay asleep, children need to be able to fall back to sleep by themselves after these brief waking episodes.

Waking up feeling refreshed

Most children wake up by themselves in the morning if they’re getting enough good-quality sleep.

Read more about how much sleep children of different ages need: newborn sleep, baby sleep, toddler sleep, preschooler sleep, school-age and pre-teen sleep and teenage sleep.

How to help your child get a good night’s sleep

1. Encourage your child to get plenty of natural light in the day

Encourage your child to get as much natural light as possible during the day, especially in the morning. Bright light suppresses melatonin. This helps your child feel awake and alert during the day and sleepy towards bedtime.

2. Keep your child’s naps early and short

If your child is finding it hard to get to sleep at night, encourage them to keep naps to no longer than 20 minutes and no later than early afternoon. Longer and later naps can make it harder for kids and teens to get to sleep at night.

3. Eat the right amount at the right time

Make sure your child has a satisfying evening meal at a reasonable time. Feeling hungry or too full before bed can make your child more alert or uncomfortable. This can make it harder for your child to get to sleep.

In the morning, a healthy breakfast helps to kick-start your child’s body clock at the right time.

4. Avoid caffeine

Caffeine is in energy drinks, coffee, tea, chocolate and cola. Encourage your child to avoid these things in the late afternoon and evening, and don’t offer them at these times.

5. Keep regular sleep and wake times

Keep your child’s bedtimes and wake-up times within 1-2 hours of each other each day. This helps to keep your child’s internal body clock in a regular pattern. It’s good to do this on weekends and during holidays, as well as on school days.

6. Relax before bedtime

Encourage your child to relax before bedtime. Older children might like to wind down by:

If your child takes longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep, your child might need a longer wind-down time before turning out the light to go to sleep.

7. Create a bedtime routine – and stick to it

A regular bedtime routine starting around the same time each night can help children of all ages feel ready for sleep:

  • For younger children, a bedtime routine might include bath, story and bed.
  • For older children and teenagers, the routine might include quietly chatting with you, turning off digital technology, having a shower, listening to music or reading, and turning out the light.

If your child is trying out a new bedtime routine, plenty of praise can help them stick to it.

8. Check noise, light and distractions in your child’s bedroom

Check whether your child’s bedroom is too light or noisy for sleep. Blue light from televisions, computer screens, phones and tablets suppresses melatonin levels and delays sleepiness. Bright light in the hour before bedtime can have the same effect.

Try these tips:

  • Turn off devices at least one hour before bedtime.
  • Use warm, dim lights in the hour before bed.
  • If your child uses a night-light, choose a dim, warm-coloured globe.
  • If your child is distracted by checking their clock or watch, encourage them to move it to a spot where they can’t see it from bed.
  • Keep digital technology out of your child’s room at night.

9. Make sure your child feels safe at night

If your child feels scared about going to bed or being in the dark, you can praise and reward your child whenever they’re brave. Avoiding scary TV shows, movies and computer games can help too. Some children with bedtime fears feel better when they have a night light.

10. Deal with your child’s worries

If childhood worries and anxieties or teenage anxieties are stopping your child from relaxing at bedtime, there are a couple of things you can do:

  • If there’s a quick and easy answer to your child’s problem, deal with it straight away. For example, ‘Yes, you can have Emma over to play on the weekend even though Grandma is staying with us’.
  • If the problem needs more time, acknowledge your child’s feelings and gently plan to sort things out in the morning. For example, ‘I understand that you’re worried about whether you can swim 50 metres at the swimming carnival next week. Let’s talk about it in the morning and work out what to do’.

Breathing exercises or muscle relaxation techniques can help older children focus on their physical body and calm their thoughts.

Problems with sleep can affect your child’s mood, schoolwork or relationships. You should seek help from your GP if sleep problems go on for more than 2-4 weeks.

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Warning: This website and the information it contains is not intended as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified practitioner.