Sleeping habits in young children

Sleeping needs to be learned - this is especially true for the little ones. When the day has been full of new impressions and exciting experiences, young children often find it difficult to find peace and quiet. This can make helping them to fall asleep a test of patience for parents. But what can you do if your child has difficulty falling asleep? With calming evening routines and sensitive tips, the path to a healthy sleep rhythm will be easier for your toddler. Find out here how much sleep your child needs at what age and how you can sensitively help them to fall asleep.

Adequate and restful sleep is one of the most important foundations for the healthy development and growth of young children. During the night, your child processes the experiences of the day, strengthens its immune system and gathers energy for new adventures. However, falling asleep and sleeping through the night can be a challenge, especially in toddlerhood. It takes patience, loving rituals and a feel-good sleeping environment to help your child sleep in a relaxed manner.

Babies sleep an average of 16 to 18 hours in the first three months, evenly spread over around five sleep phases. However, the need for sleep slowly decreases as your child gets older. The sleep rhythm also changes. The following infographic from the Federal Institute of Public Health (BIÖG) provides some clues.

However, please bear in mind that children are very different when it comes to their sleep needs and sleeping patterns. Bedtimes can therefore vary from person to person.

Many children like to take an afternoon nap up to the age of three and even beyond. But here too, every child is different. Let your child sleep at lunchtime or take a short break if they seem tired.

If your child no longer wants to sleep at lunchtime, you should no longer force them to do so.

If your child sleeps very persistently at lunchtime or in the afternoon and doesn't get any rest in the evening, this may be a sign to shorten the afternoon nap or cancel it altogether.

You're probably familiar with this: your child doesn't want to go to bed at night even though they're tired. And they're not alone! Most children want to delay going to bed for as long as possible. On the one hand, because they want to be one of the "grown-ups". On the other hand, because they are afraid of missing out on something. The best way to avoid discussions in the evening is to stick to an agreed bedtime. You should stick to this rule consistently - with rare exceptions for special events.

The following sleep chart gives you a little orientation as to when bedtime can be. But here too, every child is individual. It is helpful if you always keep an eye on your child's sleeping habits.

The table is based on the recommendations of the Federal Institute of Public Health (BIÖG).

Tried and tested tips on how you can support your child's healthy sleep rhythm can be found in the checklist in the sidebar on the right.

The duration of the sleep support is individual and depends on your child. Some children only need a few minutes, others a little longer. The following overview provides an orientation:

• In infancy (up to 1 year of age), sleep support is often more intensive. In the first few months of life, physical closeness gives your little one security and basic trust.
• In toddlerhood (1-3 years), evening rituals help to ease the transition to falling asleep independently.
• From the age of 3, children begin to fall asleep on their own. Many children still need help falling asleep - at least in phases - until they go to school.

Sleeping alone rarely works at the push of a button. We have put together some tips for you that can help you to gradually reduce the amount of time you spend with your child:

• Gently let go: Start to gradually reduce physical contact, e.g. from stroking to gentle closeness.
• Keep up rituals: A bedtime song or a short story read aloud is and remains a wonderful ritual, even if you don't stay in bed afterwards.
• Praise independence: Reinforce positive behavior by praising your child: "You've almost fallen asleep on your own. Great job!".

Transient problems falling asleep and staying asleep in small children are not uncommon and are no cause for concern. Young children often find it particularly difficult to fall back asleep on their own. Typical sleep problems can also occur at various stages of development, which usually disappear again after a while.

However, if your child consistently sleeps poorly, is very tired during the day or shows signs of health problems, you should visit your pediatrician's office. Before doing so, it is advisable to keep a so-called sleep log. This allows you to see how much sleep your child needs. All you need to do is fill in the sleep log over a period of two to three weeks. You can find a form to download in the right-hand column of this page.

If you are worried, you can use the sleep log to talk to your pediatrician about the sleep problems, identify possible causes and look for solutions.