At what age does a child need to sleep alone? Until what age does a child need naps during the day?

Hello guys, Lena Zhabinskaya is here! The blue dream of any mother is a healthy and sound sleep for her baby. To do this, she tries to feed him well and dress him in the most comfortable clothes. He also ventilates the room for a long time, achieving optimal combination temperature and humidity, in a word, does everything to ensure that at least today he gives her a rest.

However, miracles do not happen. Again, rare or frequent cries, awakenings and a pulsating thought in the head: when does a newborn start sleeping through the night? Sooner or later, every pediatrician is asked this question. I will try to answer it today.

Small children sleep completely differently than adults. If 8 hours of proper rest is enough for us to function normally, and for some people even 5–6 hours, then newborns need no less than 16–20 hours for health and development. This is 80% of the total daily time.

It would seem like real grace. This is where mom can get some sleep and do all the housework, but in practice, for some reason, she doesn’t always manage to do this. What is the reason? It turns out that the problem has to do with the baby’s sleeping patterns.

Shallow sleep

The baby is not sleeping soundly. No, he has a phase of sound sleep, but it lasts no more than an hour. The rest of the time the sleep is superficial.

Needless to say, because of this, the baby wakes up every now and then in order to eat or simply explore the situation. Perhaps the curtain will open for some now, but when the baby is sleeping, other family members don’t need to tiptoe around at all. He must adapt. In addition, not only a loud sharp noise can wake him up, but also a monotonous quiet one, if he is not prepared for them, of course.

An interesting experiment was carried out in the UK. There, scientists, trying to find out under what conditions and how soundly the baby sleeps, selected two groups of children. The first one was plunged into silence. The second included a measured sound simulating a heartbeat. Moreover, the children in this group slept longer. Experts explained everything with physiology. The children heard a sound that calmed them in their mother's womb, so they slept under it.

In everyday life, you can replace the sounds of a heartbeat and ensure that your child sleeps well by playing classical music in the background. In any case, this is what doctors say. It’s worth a try, if only because rest is not only a need, but also a guarantee good mood, excellent health and proper development.

Why does my child wake up at night?

All young mothers dream of having a good night's sleep. And it seems to all of them that their dreams are not shared by their children. Sometimes they act up too much. And if during the day this is quite understandable, then what about at night?

Hunger

Children are hungry because they cannot go the whole night without feeding. And although the woman is sincerely perplexed, because she fed the baby for a long time in the evening, the doctors are adamant: breast milk It is absorbed very quickly, and a hungry child cannot sleep.

Exceptions can be made only for children who are on. It is more nourishing, so it allows them to stay in Morpheus’s arms longer, although not always.

Thirst

This is even more true the hotter the room and the drier the air in it. Optimal air parameters are from 18 to 20 degrees and air humidity is from 40 to 60%.

Wake himself up with his hands

Newborns are often bothered by hypertonicity of the limbs. Due to the fact that the newborn is not responsible for his body movements, involuntary, sudden movements of his arms or legs can frighten him and wake him up. And he, in turn, will wake up his mother.

Violations of the regime

They, as grandmothers and mothers put it, “confuse day with night.” In this case, the young mother will need to be patient and wake up the baby for some time during the day. This way he will be able to sleep longer at night.

Physiological reasons.

What is this? Colic, teething, discomfort due to incorrectly chosen things, heat, cold, lack of fresh air.

Psychological reasons.

A banal desire to play, a lack of maternal attention, which children gladly compensate for at night, various emotional reactions, for example, when a child is overexcited during the day and now cannot sleep.

Needless to say, achieving sound sleep in children can only be achieved by identifying the reasons that prevent it. In fact, this is not so difficult to do, but first things first.

At what age do children begin to sleep well?

When infant starts sleeping through the night? Perhaps this is the most main question in this topic, meanwhile, experts are in no hurry to answer it. The thing is that their opinions differ here. Some believe that 6 months is a sufficient age to give up whims in dark time days, others are sure that the latter can continue until the baby reaches one year of age, and this is absolutely normal.

By the way, this is far from the worst thing. There are mothers who, when asked at what age their child was able to sleep fully through the night, confidently cite the age of 3 years. But here everything is purely individual. Besides some external signs The quality of sleep is also influenced by the child’s internal character and temperament. Meanwhile, summing up all of the above, I would like to again recall the words of scientists.

They say that the baby definitely cannot sleep all night during breastfeeding. This skill will come to him by 9 months, not earlier, when hearty, nutritious food appears in his diet, which his tummy can digest for a long time. And he will be able to sleep soundly all this time.

On this cheerful note, I would like to wish young mothers not to be upset. The fact is that, contrary to physiology, there are peculiar tricks and secrets that help newborn babies sleep longer.

What to do to help your child sleep well

In addition, do not forget about the phases of sleep. A child has two of them, defining shallow sleep and sound sleep. Not all mothers know that the superficial one comes first. They rock or lull the children to sleep and, seeing that they have surrendered to the power of Morpheus, begin to transfer them to the crib. What happens next? The child wakes up and no longer sleeps, no matter how much he wants to.

But don't be upset. Superficial REM sleep. The main thing is to wait until he goes into a strong, calm phase and, finally, breathe a sigh of relief. You can recognize this second long-awaited phase by the baby’s condition: he becomes completely relaxed, his legs and arms stop moving and become lethargic.

What else can you do to help your baby sleep peacefully throughout the night?

• Provide him comfortable conditions. Optimal temperature, in which the baby is neither cold nor hot - 18 - 22 degrees, and humidity - 60 degrees. If in addition to this the room is well ventilated, he will surely sleep in a blissful sleep.
• Feed. Small children cannot control their desires if they concern instincts. If they are hungry, they will certainly say so. Screaming loudly, even in the middle of the night. Therefore, good nutrition is often the key to peace of mind. If for some reason the baby ate well at the breast, but woke up an hour later and asked again, it makes sense to consult with a pediatrician about supplementary feeding.
• Eliminate any discomfort. Violation of the rules for changing a diaper, uncomfortable clothes, the seams of which press or rub, wet skin and, as a result, diaper rash - all these are reasons for concern for the baby. Of course, in such conditions there is no need to talk about sound sleep.
• Make sure that there is always a safe environment in the house. Newborns do not know how to talk, yet they successfully communicate with us from the first weeks. Simply put, they understand us and feel us. Any change in mood is always noticeable to them. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that in homes where there are disputes, scandals, or where the mother is constantly nervous and angry, children sleep worse. When answering the question of such parents about how many months their children will sleep peacefully, the pediatrician shrugs and advises them to reconsider their views and improve the situation in the family.
• Eliminate the possibility that the child... The easiest way to do this is to try to accustom your baby to a routine from the first weeks. It is not necessary to feed or wake him up by the clock. It is important to just make sure that he plays more during the day than at night. If this has already happened, you need to help the baby enter normal mode. It is better to spend your active time during the day with light physical activity and walks in the fresh air.
• Rule out colic. The most common reason for their appearance is improper latching of the chest and, as a result, swallowing air. You can get rid of it by controlling feeding and avoiding foods that contribute to increased gas formation. Colic appears from the 20th day of a baby’s life and disappears by 3 months. They can be alleviated with the help of a gas tube, massages, and medications.

Finally, the last thing is a familiar ritual. In order for the baby to sleep through the night, he needs to be put to bed after feeding at the same time every day.

I hope in this article you found the answer to the question of what time do children start to sleep. Save it to your wall and subscribe to updates. It was Lena Zhabinskaya, bye-bye!

Well, your child has grown up, he is 1 year old! The baby has already learned to stand, consciously pronounce sounds, eat solid food and much more. At the same time, his natural biorhythm changed. Now he stays awake more: he moves actively, explores new objects, tries to reach out to everything that interests him. Of course, with such an active lifestyle, your fidget needs a good rest. How much should a 1-year-old child sleep so that he always feels cheerful and cheerful?

The importance of sleep – why sleep?

Sleep is an important component of human life. In a dream, the child rests and gains strength. Sleep is not just a period of saving and storing energy. While the child is sleeping, active work is going on in his body:

1. Tissues are restored;
2. The functioning of internal organs is regulated;
3. There is a cleansing of waste products.

At this time, intensive processes take place in the child’s brain aimed at remembering and assimilating all the information that the baby received during the day. This is how neural connections are formed and the brain develops.

You've probably heard the phrase “a child grows in his sleep.” Of course, this statement should not be taken literally. Its essence is that during night rest the body produces growth hormone.

In addition, while the baby sleeps, his glands produce melatonin, the lack of which can lead to health problems.

Good rest is of great importance for normalizing the child’s mental state.

Important! A well-rested baby is calm and balanced. It does not require special attention and can be played on its own for a long time.

Constant lack of sleep or bad dream in a 1 year old child it causes a stress reaction in the body, turning the child into a little rebel. If you haven’t watched my free video lessons on healthy baby sleep yet, be sure to subscribe to them and receive them by email by following the link.

Sleep standards

For normal physical and mental development For a one-year-old child, proper sleep is important, both daytime and nighttime. Can't clean up nap, since this will lead to overwork of the child and seriously undermine his level of health.

So let's look at sleep standards after a year.

Waking time for a one-year-old child = 4-5 hours;

• At this time, the child moves a lot, is able to fulfill various requests from adults and can express his wishes in the game, masters the first skills of self-care, and shows curiosity;
• The child does not sit quietly for a minute, and sometimes resists and is stubborn; how to properly respond to the disobedience of an older child, see the course Obedience without screaming and threats >>>
• Plan all games, walks, educational and developmental activities for the first half of your waking time.

How much sleep should a one-year-old baby sleep?

The daily sleep requirement for a child is 12-13 hours.

At the same time, it takes 10-11 hours to sleep at night

Daytime nap: 2-3 hours

There is nothing wrong if your child’s daily routine differs by +- 1 hour in any direction. Observe the child's behavior and well-being. We can say that there is no reason to worry if the child:

1. Calm and balanced;
2. Cheerful and cheerful;
3. Able to concentrate on his actions;
4. Has a good appetite;
5. Goes to bed and wakes up easily and without problems.

In this case, the baby sleeps less or more than expected simply because he wants to.

However, if the child sleeps quite a lot, about 16 - 17 hours a day, then this should alert you. It is possible that the child is experiencing illness, which will soon manifest itself with other symptoms.

See also my video lesson about sleep standards at 12 months:

How many times does a 1-year-old child sleep during the day?

• 1 year is the earliest age when a child can reduce the number of daytime naps from 2 to 1;
• Until this point, children usually sleep twice a day for 1 - 1.5 hours each time. Now the baby begins to switch to one nap during the day. In this case, sleep time can increase to 2-3 hours;
• The transition to 1 nap strongly depends on the child’s daily routine, namely, on the time of morning awakening:

If he gets up at 6 o’clock, then he is unlikely to be able to stay awake until lunchtime (Read the article on how to properly feed your child >>>). In this case, the child goes to bed at 10-11 o’clock in the afternoon and will naturally want to sleep again (at about 16 o’clock in the evening).

With this schedule, you do not need to let your child sleep for more than 1 hour, otherwise bedtime will be very late at night.

For children with night owl biorhythm, a different schedule is possible. They wake up around 8 o'clock and their naps begin around 1 pm. In this case, babies sleep for almost 2-3 hours. This time is enough for them to last until they fall asleep at night. This regime is more harmonious, simple and easy for mom. But you can expect it only by 1 year 3 months.

If you asked me: how much sleep should a 1.3 year old child sleep, then the most optimal would be a regimen with 1 daytime nap, which lasts 1.5-3 hours and then goes to bed at night around 19-21 hours.

How long does he sleep at night?

1. Night sleep for a child aged 1 year should last 10 – 11 hours;
2. Ideally, bedtime will be before 21-00. This will ensure better sleep and a full night's rest;
3. With a two-day rest, the schedule may shift and bedtime becomes later. In any case, by 22-00 the child should already be asleep;

Many parents try to raise their child on an equal footing, and it happens that it is 23, 24, or even one in the morning - and the child is running around, playing and having fun. This happens with my upstairs neighbors, and every time I feel very sorry for the child, because the most complete and restorative sleep occurs from 21-00 to 1 am.

If the child falls asleep on his own, then at night there are 1-2 awakenings (there may be nights without awakenings, but from my work experience, I can say that this is very rare)

Waking up at night always has its own reasons:

• night terrors;
• The baby grinds his teeth, if this is a problem for your baby, be sure to read the article Why does a child grind his teeth in his sleep?>>>
• unsuitable sleeping conditions (stuffy, hot, noisy, etc.);
• desire to go to the toilet;
• hunger;
• inability to fall asleep further on your own.

Under no circumstances should you scold your child for not sleeping! It is necessary to understand the reasons for frequent awakenings at night and this is the mother’s task.

If a child falls asleep only with the breast or with rocking, then at night there may be a lot of night awakenings: from 3 to 15. This is a situation that requires correction and a detailed analysis, which you can conduct as part of a large course on child sleep: How to teach a child to fall asleep and sleep without breastfeeding >>>

A child grows: do sleep standards change from 1 year to 1.5 years?

After the baby turns 1 year old, he increasingly shows independence in actions, but at the same time clearly understands his dependence on his parents. During the period of 1.3 – 1.5 years, the baby’s sleep may worsen. This will manifest itself as follows:

1. Takes a long time to go to bed;
2. Has trouble falling asleep;
3. Wakes up at night, find out why children don't sleep well?>>>;
4. Gets up very early;
5. Refuses to sleep during the day.

The norms for how much sleep a child of 1.5 years should sleep are not particularly different from the previous ones. He takes a one-time nap during the day, which lasts a little less - 1-2 hours. Night sleep lasts about 11 hours.

What if a child refuses to sleep during the day?

Daytime sleep cannot be compensated for by increasing the duration of night rest. If the child does not sleep during the day, this can lead to problems with evening bedtime: the child will be overexcited, begin to be capricious and cry. Refusal to sleep during the day at this age may have several reasons:

• wrong time;
• sharp transition from fun game to going to bed;
• unsuitable conditions for recreation;
• negative associations with daytime sleep;
• premature transfer of the baby from two naps a day to one nap.

You should not follow your baby’s lead and cancel daytime naps, since for a 1-year-old child this is a physiological need. How to properly prepare your baby for going to bed during the day is well discussed in the article Bedtime Rituals >>>

Recommendations for improving sleep

Getting your baby to sleep properly is not that difficult.

1. First of all, you need to correctly create a child’s sleep schedule at 1 year old. It is recommended to monitor how much and when your little one sleeps, and then make the necessary changes to his schedule. You need to move your bedtime and wake-up time gradually, 15 to 30 minutes at a time. There is no need to radically change the baby’s daily routine; it is advisable that it coincides as much as possible with the natural biorhythms of his body;
2. You should not give your baby the opportunity to doze off while he is awake;
3. It is necessary to pay attention to the signs of fatigue in the baby and accordingly change the type of activity to a calmer one;
4. You can create a special bedtime ritual.

• ventilate the room every day and regularly carry out wet cleaning;
• a couple of hours before putting the baby to bed, play active outdoor games, take a walk in the fresh air;
• Before going to bed, on the contrary, you need to create a calm environment, without unnecessary emotional stress.

Remember that regular lack of sleep has a bad effect on the well-being and development of the baby. Therefore, pay special attention to creating good conditions for sound and restful sleep.

Healthy and sound sleep is necessary for full development. During growth, the time and duration of rest constantly changes. In the first two months, the baby sleeps 7-9 hours a day. Note that in the first weeks of life, the newborn will be awake very little and will spend most of the day in a sleeping state.

Gradually, daytime sleep time is reduced. By four months, the baby sleeps 5-6 hours during the day and goes to bed four times, after six months - four hours and three times. At the age of 9 months - 1.5 years, children sleep for 2-4 hours and have up to two dreams per day. daytime. After a year, many babies themselves refuse this regime and sleep only once. In this article we will learn how to transfer a child aged 1 year and older to one nap during the day.

Features of the transition

When to switch to 1 nap depends on the baby’s readiness. Some infants are ready to switch to this regime by the age of one year, and some not earlier than 1.5-2 years. The transition process also proceeds differently. Some children take a long time to get used to it, while others switch right away. Before moving your child to one nap during the day, determine whether he is ready for this.

The first signs of the baby’s readiness appear at 10-12 months:

• He sleeps well in the morning, but it is difficult to put the baby to sleep in the evening;
• Refuses to sleep in the morning and yet feels comfortable;
• Constantly refuses to sleep during the day and resists a second nap;
• Goes to bed and falls asleep too late at night;
• With two good, sound sleeps during the day, the baby begins to wake up earlier and earlier in the morning.

If you notice these signs, begin to gradually reduce your rest time during the day. Doctors note that suitable readiness is observed in children aged 1 year and 3-4 months. At this time, they can calmly stay awake for 5-6 hours a day.

How to switch to one nap during the day

• When you notice signs of readiness, gradually reduce the time of one of the two naps;
• Determine which dream needs to be removed. To do this, watch the baby when he refuses the regime, is awake and capricious. Typically this is the second dream;
• Gradually, every day, simultaneously shift the time of morning and afternoon sleep, while shortening the duration of the second;
• Gradually reduce the time of the second nap during the day and increase the duration of the first, or, conversely, if the baby refuses the first;
• Put your baby to bed on a full stomach;
• Some children immediately refuse one of the dreams. In this case, you can immediately exclude this item from the baby’s regime. Do not force your baby to sleep during the day a second time;
• Do not force your baby to give up his second nap. If he is very fussy and gets tired quickly, delay the transition and try again in two to four weeks. Avoid overwork and accumulation of fatigue!;
• Put children to bed no later than 21:00;
• Children should have proper rest at night. A 2 year old child sleeps at least ten hours at night;
• If without a second sleep the baby gets tired or tired for short term, add an evening nap lasting up to 40 minutes, or put your baby to bed earlier;
• After a child reaches 3 years of age, daily rest should be 1.5-2 hours.

Early transition: harm or benefit

Some children confidently refuse a second nap during the day as early as 9-10 months. And sometimes parents, on their own initiative, organize a transition at this age, replacing daytime rest with games and walks. But even if the baby accepts such a schedule, it can negatively affect the baby’s well-being and mood. He becomes moody and irritable, begins to wake up frequently at night, and may be lethargic and feel unwell.

Do not rush to give up this pleasant procedure, because daytime sleep is very useful. By the way, doctors recommend that even adults devote 20-30 minutes to this activity. And if you didn’t get enough sleep at night, the time can be increased to 40-60 minutes. The main thing is that the rest should not be delayed and should take place no later than three o’clock in the afternoon. According to experts, the most useful and appropriate time for this procedure is the period from 13:00 to 15:00.

Benefits of naps

• Strengthens the nervous system;
• Ensures normal development of young children;
• Increases performance, receptivity to new information and concentration by 30-50%;
• Ten minutes of dozing energizes you and gives you strength for a whole hour;
• Replenishes lack of night rest;
• Increases nerve conduction and improves motor reactions by 15-20%;
• Reduces the risk of heart and vascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes;
• Relieves nervous tension and calms, improves mental and emotional state;
• Increases mood and the level of joy hormones (endorphin and serotonin);
• Produces growth hormone, which is very important for infants and older children;
• Helps kids cope with impressions and emotions received in the first half of the day. After all, the children's nervous system is most susceptible to emotional overload;
• Regular and adequate sleep strengthens the immune system. By the way, studies show that children who do not sleep during the day are more likely to get sick.

Complete refusal of daytime naps

After three years, children should sleep only once during the day with a rest period of no more than two hours. During this period, the child’s regime is significantly restructured compared to the regime at 1-2 years. It is important that at this age the baby is already able to understand, negotiate and comply with agreements. Be sure to use this. Don’t yell at the baby, but try to calmly and clearly explain what you want and why it is needed.

In total, children 3-6 years old should sleep 11-12 hours a day. Daytime rest for 3-4 years is 1-2 hours, and night rest is 9-11 hours. After 5 years, many children begin to refuse to sleep during the day. The duration of the process is reduced, and children easily tolerate skipping it. However, a child of 5-6 years old may still periodically need daytime rest due to overwork. It depends on the time you get up in the morning and the degree of fatigue.

Don't give up naps completely prematurely. This will have a negative impact on nervous system, mental and physical condition of the baby. He will be very tired and cranky, often wake up at night and will not want to get up in the morning. The baby will not be able to withstand physical and emotional stress.

What to do to help your baby sleep well

For this you need sufficient physical activity. Let the little one run around and play enough, use physical exercise and introduce children to sports, walk in the fresh air. But make sure that he doesn’t get overtired during the day and doesn’t get overexcited in the evening! This only interferes with sound sleep. The first half of the day should be the most active.

In the evening, 2-3 hours before going to bed, allow only calm, quiet games or activities, you can perform water procedures, and get a massage. Read or tell your little one a story. You can give a glass of warm milk or tea with honey. Don't give kefir! Don't forget about psychological comfort.

Put your children to bed at the same time and have a daily bedtime routine. This should be a single algorithm with the same procedures and the same sequence of actions. Give your child the right to choose. Let him choose his own pajamas, toothbrush, a fairy tale. Read how to teach your baby to fall asleep on his own.

Sleep issues and problems are among the most pressing for parents. The importance of proper rest for children can hardly be overestimated, however, the immaturity of the nervous system and some external reasons often prevent children from sleeping according to the age-appropriate schedule. Daytime sleep sometimes confuses mothers: the child categorically refuses to go to bed or, if he does fall asleep, cannot calm down for a long time in the evening. Until what age does a child need naps during the day from a physiological point of view? Why do children sleep in kindergarten and not sleep during the day at home? Should I insist on going to bed or should I still come to terms with the fact that the child has “outgrown” naps?

Why does a child need a nap during the day?

During any sleep, both daytime and night, the nervous system and the entire body are restored after stress during wakefulness. For children, sleep is especially important: the REM sleep phase is associated with remembering received information, and therefore with mental development baby; During the slow-wave sleep phase, the production of growth hormones is activated. In addition, the nervous system of a preschooler is not yet very stable; it is just being formed, but at the same time it is constantly exposed to new impressions, events, and information. Just enough good sleep, night and day, can provide high-quality “unloading” of the nervous system, and as a result – maintaining the health and normal development of the child. Daytime sleep is no less important than nighttime sleep, since it allows you to divide a day full of impressions into two parts, which greatly facilitates the task of processing information for the brain and nervous system.

Some parents believe that if their baby “sleeps out” daily norm at 11-12 o'clock at night, then he does not need daytime sleep. However, all pediatricians and pediatric neurologists are convinced of the importance of quiet time for preschool children. Thus, Vladislav Remirovich Kuchma, director of the Research Institute of Hygiene and Health Protection of Children and Adolescents of the Scientific Center for Children's Health of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, states:

“Sleep is an essential element of a child’s life. And that's not only free time for parents who can go about their business while the baby is sleeping. Sleep is a natural manifestation of a child's life cycle and is characterized by a certain frequency. If a newborn sleeps 19 hours a day, then preschool age sleep duration decreases. But one and a half to two hours of daytime sleep remain mandatory.”

Various studies on the topic of daytime sleep in children prove: preschoolers who sleep during the day have better concentration, behave more calmly, require less attention from adults, are less tired and overexcited, and are less likely to get sick compared to peers who sleep only at night.

Daytime sleep duration by age

The approximate number of hours of sleep according to the baby's age is shown in the table.

Age	How much sleep should a child sleep per day?	Night sleep	Daytime nap
Newborn		up to 5-6 hours of uninterrupted sleep	1-2 hours every hour
1-2 months			4 sleeps of 40 minutes-1.5 hours; only about 6 hours
3-4 months	17-18 hours	10-11 o'clock	3 naps of 1-2 hours
5-6 months		10-12 hours	Switch to 2 sleeps of 1.5-2 hours
7-9 months
10-12 months			2 naps of 1.5-2.5 hours
	13-14 hours	10-11 o'clock	2 sleeps of 1.5-2.5 hours; it is possible to switch to 1 nap during the day
		10-11 o'clock	Transition to 1 nap: 2.5-3 hours
	12-13 hours	10-11 o'clock
Over 7 years old	at least 8-9 hours	at least 8-9 hours	not necessary

Until what age do children sleep during the day?

It is difficult to answer the question until what age should a child sleep during the day, since this formulation of the question is somewhat incorrect. Most parents understand what to force small child sleeping if he doesn’t want to is a difficult task. You can only try and make efforts to ensure that the child’s regimen is close to optimal for his age.

The nervous system of a preschooler is in the process of formation, so it is difficult for him to endure the abundance of impressions of the whole day without an intermediate “quiet hour”. That's why neurologists recommend putting children to sleep during the day until they are 6-8 years old. How younger child, the greater his need for daytime sleep. If an older preschooler (5-6 years old) does not suffer particularly from lack of rest during the day, for a child under 3 years of age, continuous wakefulness for 11-12 hours can result in behavioral problems (expressiveness of behavior, whims, hysterics), deterioration in learning ability and even decreased immunity . Therefore, parents should try to maintain naps during the day for as long as possible. “Failures” and deviations from the regime are possible, but with the persistence of adults, the baby will be sure that sleeping during the day is necessary. It’s not for nothing that in kindergartens most children sleep during quiet hours, but at home on weekends it’s difficult to put them to sleep. It's a matter of discipline, including the self-discipline of parents.

In children 7-8 years old, the need for daytime rest may continue, especially taking into account adaptation to new mental stress at school. Do not forbid your child to sleep after school if he wants. And if he refuses, at least advise him to start doing homework after a little rest (not in front of the TV, of course).

What is the normal length of daytime sleep?

Despite the fact that doctors recommend that all children under 7-8 years old sleep for one and a half to two hours during the day, some children can get by with a short nap - about an hour, or even 30-40 minutes. Should parents worry? It depends on the behavior and condition of the child. If he is cheerful, cheerful, plays actively, and is not capricious, we can say that a short daytime rest is enough for him.

What to do if the child does not want to sleep during the day?

Parents of children who refuse naps during the day early age, are usually quite rightly concerned about whether it is harmful to their health. Only during infancy can one still be sure that the child will “sleep” the number of hours he needs. Children over 2 years old have much more complex mental reactions - new fears, worries and overexcitation often prevent them from falling asleep. Long-term lack of sleep can affect not only a child’s behavior (whims, irritability) and educational abilities, but also susceptibility to colds and the pace of physical and mental development.

• The actions of parents who want to maintain a “quiet hour” in the child’s daily routine depend on the reasons that caused the refusal to sleep during the day:

1. If a baby sleeps the number of hours appropriate for his age, but does it “in one sitting,” at night, it becomes clear why he does not want to sleep during the day. In this case, you should not force him to sleep, because we all know that falling asleep through force is very difficult. But you should still try to divide your daily sleep (for example, 12 hours) into two stages: 10 hours of night sleep and 2 hours of daytime sleep. This will help your child be calmer in the afternoon. Set a clear routine. If your child goes to kindergarten, try to stick to a daily schedule on weekends. Children at home should also get up and go to bed at the same time - then there will be no problems with daytime sleep.
2. The baby is captivated by some kind of game and categorically refuses to sleep: in this case, you need to try to smoothly switch his attention to the activities that usually precede daytime sleep (reading a book, changing clothes).
3. In a state of overstimulation, children often cannot fall asleep, but they need it. The task of the parents in this case is to “calm down” the child, getting him interested in a quiet game, reading or doing something together. A good option is a game during reading when the parent invites the child to imagine with his eyes closed what is described in the book. Gradually the baby will calm down and be able to fall asleep.
4. Perhaps you put your child to bed too early, and he is simply not tired enough to want to sleep. Try shifting your bedtime by half an hour to an hour.
5. All children go through periods of no napping. Parental confidence and persistence help the child return to his usual daily routine.

And a few more tips for parents:

• Teach your child to nap by example. You don't need to sleep, but lying down next to your baby when he falls asleep and closing your eyes won't hurt.
• Remember: the process of falling asleep in children takes longer than in adults. 30-40 minutes is the norm. If your child doesn't fall asleep within 15 minutes, don't give up.
• For a comfortable daytime sleep, a child needs silence and relative darkness.
• Keep an eye on your child's biorhythms: perhaps a small change in routine will help you come to an agreement about daytime sleep.
• Don't scold your child if he still doesn't fall asleep. Of course, an hour and a half of trying to lay it down will drive anyone crazy, but still try to control yourself.
• Explain to your baby that he needs sleep, not you. He must understand that sleeping during the day is not a punishment, but an opportunity to relax and gain new strength for games in the evening.
• If your child doesn't sleep, at least let him play quiet games or listen to you read in the middle of the day. Such rest is not as effective for unloading the nervous system, but it is better than active wakefulness throughout the day.
• One-time deviations from the regime are not a big deal. If you are invited to a birthday party or other event in the middle of the day, do not refuse due to strict rules.

In conclusion, I would like to say: few people can predict at what age your child will stop sleeping during the day. But parents can at least try to maintain such a beneficial vacation longer. We wish your children health and good restful sleep!

The stronger and healthier sleep child, the healthier his entire family is overall. It’s no secret that a twitchy, nervous, screaming baby and the same, but also sleep-deprived mother are a wonderful powerful tandem to ruin the lives of each other and all household members, young and old. That is why it is important to organize normal sleep for the baby from the very first days of his life. Everyone understands this. Theoretically. But how to do it in practice is only known to a very small percentage of moms and dads. Dr. Evgeny Komarovsky tells what needs to be done for this.

About sleep in general

Children need naps during the day. The baby explores the world, sometimes very actively, and the abundance of impressions greatly exhausts him.

Sleeping during the day allows you to restore strength, give rest to the nervous system and the entire body as a whole. It is important for a growing person in the same way as nutrition and treatment if the baby is sick. During sleep, the composition of the blood is renewed, the muscles and musculoskeletal system rest, the most important enzymes and many vital hormones are produced.

Sleep norm is a rather vague concept, but it nevertheless exists. A baby sleeps longer than a baby after one year. It is considered normal for a newborn to snore sweetly in the crib after each feeding, for a total of 19-22 hours a day. From 1 to 3 months, the child takes 3-4 daytime naps; taking into account the night time, they sleep up to 17 hours a day. From 4 months, the child can lie down during the day 2-3 times for 3 hours, and together with the night sleeps in total up to 15-16 hours a day.

At the age of 1 to 2 years, a child can sleep once during the day, or can be latched twice for 2-3 hours. Pediatricians recommend switching a child to one nap during the day from the age of 2. Around this time the visit begins kindergarten, so this transition is usually easy to make. The duration of quiet time for such a child is from 1 to 3 hours.

However, it is impossible to measure all children according to existing standards, because children have different temperaments, levels of impressionability, and the ability to switch from activity to rest. Maybe that’s why the norms remain norms on paper, but in reality the statistics vary greatly. But this does not lose the value of daytime sleep.

Doctor Komarovsky's opinion

The only thing that does not depend on parents in the organization baby sleep- this is a diaper, says Evgeny Komarovsky. If mom and dad spared no expense and bought a good, high-quality and comfortable diaper, then this is already half the success, since discomfort and dampness are the most common causes of children’s sleep disturbances. There is no need to invent anything here, says the doctor, everything has already been created and should benefit both children and adults.

Parents have to do the rest themselves. Usually, the baby sleeps better at night if he has had a good rest during the day. However, you shouldn’t think that a good night’s sleep means too much sleep. After all, it is clear that a baby who has slept all day long will be awake at night. Therefore, proper planning of daytime sleep will help solve some disturbances in this process at night.

The need for daytime sleep

Official medicine believes that daytime sleep is necessary for a child until he reaches the age of seven. Evgeny Komarovsky is sure that after five years a child no longer needs daytime dreams. However, if the baby stopped sleeping during the day at 2 years old, then this is a reason to understand the reasons, make adjustments to the daily routine and return daytime rest back as soon as possible. The child is still too young to lead a normal life from night to night without rest.

Evgeny Komarovsky calls on parents to carefully analyze the baby’s lifestyle. Is he eating well, is he not being overfed, is he walking enough in the fresh air, is the temperature and humidity in the children's room normal. All these factors, according to the doctor, have a direct impact on the quality (and quantity!) of sleep.

The baby's bed should be comfortable, and underwear and pajamas are made from natural fabrics, which are pleasant to the baby and do not interfere with his sleep. The room should have fresh air, the temperature of which does not exceed 20 degrees, and the humidity - 50-70%.

Dr. Komarovsky will tell you more about this in the video below.

Mode correction

A big mistake parents make is to adapt to their child. The baby was brought from the maternity hospital, and mom and dad began to sleep when a small family member allows them to do so. Komarovsky advises immediately transferring the child to the regime that is acceptable for all household members, and not vice versa.

Once you decide on nighttime sleep, you can plan daytime sleep, knowing the average norms for the total amount of time that babies at a given age should devote to sleep. This will require discipline, first of all, from the parents themselves, because the regime they created will have to be observed first of all by themselves, then the child will be able to quite quickly accept the daily routine as something completely natural.

Evgeniy Olegovich advises, without doubts or remorse, to wake up a baby who is sleepy during the day so that he does not have problems falling asleep at night, and the daily routine built with such difficulty does not collapse overnight.

In order for your child to go to bed more willingly during the day, the doctor recommends thinking about his leisure time in the first half of the day, in the morning. It's good if they are active games, physical activity, according to age, massage or gymnastics, and definitely a walk in the fresh air. After the child eats at lunch, he will not have to be persuaded to sleep, he will really want it himself.

The less healthy activity, the worse the child’s daytime sleep. Therefore, if parents complain that the child “usually sleeps well during the day, but recently he has stopped going to bed,” Evgeniy Olegovich advises simply to reconsider his lifestyle, add walks, sports, and come up with new entertainment.

Special attention Pay attention to the mattress on which the child sleeps. It should be smooth and not press through. It is best to choose an orthopedic mattress.

Up to 2 years of age, a child should sleep without a pillow. This is the recommendation of Evgeny Komarovsky. After two years, parents can give their baby a pillow if they wish, but its size should not be adult size. The optimal thickness of the pillow is equal to the size of the child's shoulder.

If no home measures to improve daytime sleep help, Komarovsky recommends contacting a pediatrician, psychologist and child neurologist; they will help identify the hidden causes of sleep disturbances and help eliminate them. It is important to do this without leaving the problem to chance, if only for the reason that sometimes the pain prevents the baby from sleeping peacefully during quiet hours. Find and neutralize - in this situation common task parents and doctors.