Picture of a sleeping toddler in bed, next to a white alarm clock.
Three years old child crying in bed. Boy hiding and closing eyes with hands

Your child is a small individual with unique sleep needs. There are averages showing how many hours of sleep children usually need. Please remember that these data do not apply to every child; they are only indicative. Some babies need much less sleep than shown in this table; others need more sleep!

Age (Months)Sleep (⌀ hrs.)Sleeping Times
0-316-18Evenly distributed over day and night
314,5More sleep at night, decreasing daytime sleep
6-914,2Long periods of sleep at night, decreasing daytime sleep
1214Still 2 daytime sleep phases, the rest of the sleep at night
1813,5Often only 1 daytime sleep
2413Frequently continued with 1 daytime sleep

Every child has a different need for sleep. Our individual sleep needs are innate. Some babies are “marmots” from the beginning of their lives and need a lot more sleep than most children. Others seem to cope well with little sleep.

You can tell whether your child is getting enough sleep not so much by the number of hours they sleep, but rather by how your child behaves when he or she is awake. Do you have the impression that he or she is whining a lot and often shows signs of tiredness (e.g. rubbing eyes, yawning)? This might indicate that your child needs more sleep. If he or she is satisfied and attentive in the awake phases, you can assume that he or she gets enough sleep.