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Sleep in children

Sleep is an important part of the human routine. It helps our mind to rest and our body to recuperate after a long day’s work. Children require more sleep than adults because they need to grow and develop. A newborn baby will require 18 hours of sleep a day compared to 12 hours for children, and 8 hours for adults.

Babies are used to listening to their mothers’ heart beat for nine months whilst in their mother’s womb. Therefore they are more accustomed to rhythmic background sounds. It gives them security. After the child is born, this need for a sound can be replaced by a slow lullaby, slow classical music, the ticking of a clock or the sound of flowing water.

Consistency is very important, for children to feel secure. Children will normally feel uncomfortable when the environment changes. Sudden silence can also be such a change. That is probably why sometimes children sleep better with light music in the background. Another problem with a silent environment is that any sudden noises in the background would be enough to wake up the child.