Sleep Guidance: School - Aged Children

How Much Sleep Does my Child Need? 

All children are different, and some will sleep more, or less, than others. In general, however, the table below illustrates the recommended hours of sleep children are expected to sleep each night:

Therefore, if your child is 7 years old, for example, and falls asleep for the night at 9:00pm, you could expect the child to wake up for the day anywhere between 6:00am and 9:00am. The below tables illustrate approximate sleep patterns you might see in your child, dependent upon age. Again, it is important to note that this is just a guideline, and all children are different.

Why is Sleep so Important?

Quality sleep is essential for children’s growth and development. Research suggests that children who sleep better are generally happier and healthier children.

Benefits of a good night’s sleep:

Stronger immune system

Healing and repair

Improves emotional wellbeing

Growth and development.

Improves productivity

Improves creativity

Improves memory and recall

Improves cardiovascular health

Improves metabolic health

Improves decision-making

Why is my Child Struggling to Sleep?

Around 4 in 10 children will experience a sleep problem at some point during their childhood, this rises to around 8 out of 10 children where there is a diagnosis of Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND).

Children may struggle to fall asleep owing to a variety of reasons, which include biological factors, environmental influences and/or psychological factors.

Has your child recently started primary school, or begun a new school year/class?

Changes in routine, such as transitioning from nursery to primary school or starting a new year/class at school, can cause some children to struggle to sleep. You may find that this problem will often resolve in the coming weeks/months as your child settles into their new way of life.

New experiences can bring increased physical and mental stimulation, leading to sleep regressions, difficulty falling asleep, or even changes in sleep duration and quality. School is a new and stimulating environment for children, this can lead to increased mental and physical fatigue, affecting the child’s ability to wind down and fall asleep at bedtime. The physical demands of a school day, including increased activity and learning, can lead to exhaustion, making it harder for some children to fall asleep at bedtime.

In addition, the structured school day and the need to wake up earlier can disrupt a child's natural sleep-wake cycle, making it harder to adjust to a new bedtime.

Starting school can also be an emotional time for children, filled with excitement, anxiety, and separation concerns. These emotions can impact sleep quality and duration.

Children might also resist bedtime due to a need for connection after a long day away from parents, or they may find it difficult to calm down after a day of intense stimulation.

Starting school is a big adjustment, and it may take time for children to adapt to the new routine.

What are other reasons my child may be struggling to sleep?

✨Unsuitable Sleep Environment

A bedroom that is too warm, too cold, too bright, or too noisy can disrupt sleep.

✨Inconsistent Bedtime Routines

Lack of a regular bedtime routine makes it harder for children to associate specific activities with sleep and wind down effectively.

✨Screen Time

Exposure to screens before bed can interfere with natural melatonin production and make it harder to fall asleep.

✨Diet

A generally unhealthy diet can lead to poor sleep. Consuming sugary foods or drinks throughout the day, especially too close to bedtime, can also disrupt sleep.

✨Separation Anxiety

Younger children may fear being away from their parents and experience anxiety when left alone in the dark.

✨Night time Fears

Older children may be afraid of the dark, monsters, or other imagined threats, making it difficult to relax and fall asleep.

✨Worries and Stress

Anxiety, stress, and worries about school, friends, or other life issues can keep children awake at night.

✨Sleep Associations

Some children may rely on specific objects like a favourite blanket or stuffed animal to fall asleep. If those are unavailable, they may struggle to settle down.

✨Medical Conditions

Conditions like asthma or allergies can interfere with sleep.

✨Underlying Conditions

ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and other conditions can be associated withsleep problems.

I am concerned about my child’s sleep – what can I do?

If your child is having difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep, there is lots of useful information, tips and strategies in this booklet which may help.

Should your child suffer from significant daytime sleepiness, or should you have any general concerns regarding your child and their health (for example paleness, lethargy, and/or weakness) please make an appointment to take your child to their GP for further advice/assessment. The School Nursing team cannot provide your child with a medical assessment. We also cannot prescribe any medication for your child.

Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) 

Children with SEND can struggle with bedtime and sleep for many reasons, including difficulties communicating how they’re feeling, increased anxiety, sensory issues or social cueing problems. It is estimated that up to 80% of children with autism have trouble sleeping.

Studies suggest that children with autism can experience disruptions in their melatonin production and patterns, not enough melatonin is being released, and at the right time.

For children with SEND, the same sleep advice applies as with children without SEND. However, there are additional strategies that may assist, including:

Using visual cues to support your child’s understanding. Visual cues could include:

•A symbolic timetable strip. There are lots of visual timetables which can bedownloaded online, free of charge. Alternatively, you may wish to create your own.An example is shown below (please also see page 30 for a larger image):

•A timetable which can be ‘ticked off’ by the child when each step of the bedtime routine has been completed. An example is shown below:

•Printed photographs, for example a photograph of the child’s pyjamas and a photograph of your child’s bed, which can be shown to your child before each ‘stage’ of their routine, this helps them to understand what is going to happen next as they get ready for bedtime.

✨Consider how the child’s bed feels and whether it meets their sensory needs. Your child may have favourite pyjamas or prefer certain textures against their skin. Let them choose what type of pyjamas/bedding they prefer.

✨If your child responds well to certain stimuli, such as smell, a child-friendly calming pillow spray, for example, may help your child to unwind. Your child may associate certain stimuli with sleeping.

✨Sleep problems can be complex and individual, and it is therefore important to try to identify possible causes for your child. Talk to your child’s GP and/or paediatrician if you have concerns regarding your child’s sleep.

✨Record what is happening at night by using a sleep diary (page 25). This can be used to establish any unusual patters or identify any factors impacting on sleep. Share this information with your child’s GP and/or paediatrician.

Bedroom Ideas: The Ideal Bedroom

Your child’s bedroom environment plays a crucial role in helping to get a good night’s sleep. There is a lot to consider, including temperature, light and comfort.

Here are some tips to help you to make sure that the child’s bedroom supports a restful night’s sleep:

✨Consistent conditions throughout the night are important. For example, avoid using products that automatically switch off whilst your child is asleep, and avoid turning lights off in your child’s room whilst they are asleep. The conditions your child falls asleep in need to be the same when they wake up. Without consistency throughout the night, your child may wake up and notice something is different. Their brains will become more active, and they will subconsciously wonder why things differ from when they fell asleep.

✨Bedrooms decorated in neutral colours can be beneficial for some children – bright colours can be over-stimulating. A cluttered bedroom can also be over-stimulating for children. Try and keep child’s bedroom as minimalistic as possible to prevent the child from being distracted.

✨A bedroom which is too hot or too cold can disrupt sleep – between 16-18 degrees is ideal for children. You may find it helpful to invest in a room thermometer to keep track of the room’s temperature. A portable fan during the summer months can help to keep the bedroom cool.

✨A blackout blind can help to ensure your child’s bedroom is dark during the lighter months. Melatonin is released by the brain when there is darkness and production of melatonin is significantly reduced in light environments. Blackout blinds can also reduce certain distractions, such as streetlights or passing car lights. Blackout blinds can also help with early waking during the lighter months.

✨Make the bedroom a screen free zone - watching television or playing on tablets supresses the production of melatonin and makes it more difficult to fall asleep.

✨For younger children, put away toys or cover them with a sheet at night time so that they don’t provide a distraction. A de-cluttered, simplistic bedroom is preferable. Make sure any scary teddies/toys are hidden.

✨For older children, try to discourage them from doing schoolwork on their bed and pack away any schoolbooks before bedtime.

✨Younger children may prefer a little light in the room at night time. If a dark room is distressing or disorientating, using a soft night light which can be safely left on all night may be helpful. Those with visual/hearing impairments, for example, can find total darkness disorientating.

✨Comfort is important, we all have different needs when it comes to what we prefer and what suits our bodies. The firmness of the mattress and pillows and the texture of the bedding and nightclothes are all important considerations when planning our sleep environments, especially for those youngsters with sensory needs.

✨Never send the child to the bedroom as a punishment or utilise an early bedtime as a punishment. Your child’s bedroom and sleep should be promoted positively.

Sleepy Foods 

What your child eats throughout the day can impact on sleep during the night.

Melatonin is a hormone your body produces (mainly in the pineal gland in the brain) which regulates sleep-wake cycles. In other words, your brain responds to darkness and releases melatonin. Melatonin acts as a signal, telling the body it’s time to prepare for sleep by reducing alertness and body temperature.

Melatonin is synthesised (made) from something called tryptophan. The body does not naturally produce tryptophan. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, meaning it must be obtained through what we eat. Some studies suggest that without enough tryptophan in the body, synthesis of melatonin is significantly reduced.

Certain foods contain tryptophan, and studies suggest that consuming such ‘sleepy foods’ throughout the day (and particularly before bedtime) can help children to fall asleep at night.

Certain vitamins also play an important role in sleep too. Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 are all crucial in melatonin production. For many healthy children, a balanced diet provides sufficient vitamins and minerals. However, some children (such as those with restricted diets, ‘picky eaters’, or those with certain health conditions) may benefit from age-appropriate multivitamin supplementation, such as multivitamin gummies or multivitamin drops.

It’s best to try and avoid processed foods, as well as foods high in sugar and caffeine, throughout the day. It is particularly important that these foods are avoided in the lead up to bedtime.

Hot chocolate before bedtime is not recommended, as hot chocolate tends to have a high-caffeine content. Processed foods, as well as foods high in sugar and caffeine can cause blood sugar fluctuations, impact melatonin production, leading to insomnia and disrupting sleep patterns.

Eating a light supper of food(s) high in tryptophan in the hour before bedtime can be beneficial for some children. Avoid big, heavy meals in the hour before bedtime.

Cereal is a ‘sleepy food’ and an ideal bedtime snack. Avoid sugar-coated cereals as these will give your child a ‘sugar rush’ and wake them up, causing the opposite effect. Aim for low-sugar cereals (containing 6g or less of added sugar, and less than 3g of saturated fats per serving). Ideal cereals include shredded wheat, bran flakes, oatmeal/porridge and low sugar granola.

Other ‘sleepy foods’ containing tryptophan:

✨Certain Fruits

Bananas, apples, cherries (particularly tart cherries), blueberries, strawberries, avocado, pineapple and peach.

✨Certain Nuts

Walnuts, peanuts, cashews, pistachios, chestnuts, and almonds.

✨Certain Cheeses

Cheddar cheese and cottage cheese.

✨Tofu

✨Certain Fish

Cod, tuna, mackerel and salmon.

✨Certain Vegetables

Spinach, asparagus, broccoli, green peas, tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, mushrooms, cucumber and potatoes.

✨Milk

✨Yogurt

✨Certain meats

Chicken, turkey and pork.

✨Certain Legumes

Mung beans, soybeans, kidney beans, lima beans and chickpeas.

✨Certain Grains

Wheat, brown rice, red rice, barley, corn and oats.

✨Whole Wheat Bread

Bedtime Relaxation Techniques

Feeling relaxed is important in the run up to bedtime for both parent and child. If your child is experiencing difficulties sleeping, it can make you both feel anxious. Youngsters often pick up on stress levels so try to create a relaxing and calm environment as bedtime approaches.

Here is some advice that which help:

✨Turn off all screens an hour before bedtime. This includes television, laptops, tablets and mobile phones. Screen activities can be mentally stimulating and inhibit the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone that helps us to feel drowsy.

✨Set aside time earlier in the day to allow your child to share any worries with you. It can be helpful to share how their day has been and what is planned for the next day. Make sure to give your full attention.

✨Shut the curtains and dim the lights in the hour before bed to create a relaxing environment and aid the production of melatonin.

✨Fine motor skill activities such as craft activities, model making, jigsaws or colouring pictures can aid relaxation.

✨A relaxing massage can help some children to unwind.

✨Classical music can be very soothing and makes good relaxing music to play in the background during the bedtime routine.

✨Mindfulness is being increasingly used and there is evidence to suggest that it can be helpful to promote relaxation and sleep. There are numerous tablet and mobile phone apps which may be useful. Ensure any apps are used earlier in the day to avoid using screens/tablets in the hour before bedtime.

✨Encourage your child to concentrate on breathing. Imagine breathing in beautiful white light and blowing out any worries or troubles each time they exhale. Breathing exercises are also useful for parents to do and are a great exercise to enjoy together.

✨Teach your child to progressively relax the muscles of the body. They can begin by tensing their feet to the count of 5 and then letting them relax. Next tense the calf muscles and relax, moving up to the thighs and so on until they have relaxed each part of the body. This is another good activity to try together.

✨End the day on a positive note by sharing 5 great things that have happened during the day.

Bedtime Routines 

A strict, consistent and familiar bedtime routine is important for children. A familiar, nightly routine helps to support children’s body clocks and aid relaxation.

Firstly, you need to consider what time bedtime will be for your child and then work backwards, planning the hour leading up to bedtime. If your child isn’t settling until late, you may need to gradually move their bedtime earlier in small steps - the routine will need to be gradually moved too.

Children should also be woken at the same time each morning to help to strengthen their body clock.

The bedtime routine should be the same every night. Your child should also get ready for bed in the same order every night. For example:

✨Pyjamas on

✨Brush teeth

✨Toilet

✨Wash hands

✨Straight into bed for a bedtime story

Nightly baths are great if your child finds them relaxing. If your child doesn’t like baths or gets overexcited, it may not help in the bedtime routine. Ideally, a bath should take place 30 minutes before bedtime as this aids relaxation by increasing the body’s temperature - it is the slow decrease in body temperature which helps us to feel more relaxed and ready to nod off more easily.

How Long Do Routines Take?

Consistency is key – Sometimes, sleep patterns may get worse before getting better. It is not uncommon to think that a new routine isn’t working, but it’s important to ‘stick to it’. Some children fall into a routine within a couple of weeks, whilst it can take other children several months to grasp a new routine. Some children, especially those with SEND, may need longer for a routine to become normal.

Below is an example of a relaxing bedtime routine. Please note, this is just an example and your child’s routine may look slightly different to this:

Children Who Wake Up During the Night 

If your child is regularly waking up during the night, it is important that they learn to self-settle instead of calling for a parent or joining a parent’s bed. This can be difficult to enforce and can be emotionally challenging for both child and parent.

If your child leaves their bed and seeks you out at night-time, try not to engage them in conversation. Instead, lead your child quietly and immediately back to their own bed and simply say one set phrase each time, for example ‘its sleep time’. This method is known as ‘rapid return’, and more details can be found on page 23.

This may need to be repeated several times each night. It is important to persevere with this, and for your child to understand that they will receive the same response from you each time they get out of bed.

It can be upsetting for both parent and child, but persistence is key. Although it’s easy to ‘give in’ to your child (engage in conversation, letting them get in your bed etc), giving up after a couple of attempts will send mixed signals to your child, and your child will continue to get out of bed.

Praising your child in the morning for staying in bed at night can help reinforce the good behaviour. You could also use a reward/sticker chart, with a small prize when the child gets a certain number of stickers or rewards.

Although there is limited research, some children who get out of bed can benefit from:

✨Weighted Blankets Some research suggests that weighted blankets provide deep pressure stimulation which can have a calming and grounding effect on children, positively impacting sleep. Weighted blankets should always be used under supervision and manufacturer’s instructions should be followed.

✨White Noise Machines/Teddies Some children, particularly children with sensory needs, may find white noise beneficial. There are lots of different white noise machines/teddies available. Some white noise teddies display soft, calming lights, and can also mimic the sound and motion of breathing, which some children find comforting.

✨Sleep Training Clocks Sleep training clocks will often display a ‘night’ screen (usually a calming, blue screen with stars/a moon) during sleep time, and a ‘day’ screen (usually a yellow screen with a sun) when it’s time to get up, as set by the parent – times can be adjusted to suit the child’s routine. There are several/makes and models available which can be found online, in stores and in pre-loved sales. An example is the Tommee Tippee ‘Groclock’, shown below:

Parent can set the clock to display the ‘night’ display between a certain timeframe, for example 8:00pm – 7:00am, helping children to understand that it’s night time.

Parent can set the clock for the sun to ‘come out’ at a certain time, for example 7:00am. The sun will be displayed for the rest of the day.

Rapid Return 

The ‘rapid return’ technique, also known as ‘silent return’, is a sleep training method where you immediately and calmly return your child to bed each time they get out of bed. The goal is to establish clear boundaries and discourage the child from leaving bed by minimizing attention and interaction associated with the departures. The rapid return method aims to teach the child that bed is where they should be at bedtime, and that getting out of bed will not be rewarded with interaction or prolonged attention.

Steps for ‘rapid return’:

✨When your child gets out of bed, you immediately and calmly return/lead them back to bed.

✨Keep communication to a minimum - avoid talking, eye contact, or offering comfort or cuddles when returning them to bed. This reduces the child's stimulation and prevents them from seeing getting out of bed as a way to gain attention. Only use one set phrase each time, for example ‘its sleep time’.

✨Repeat this process every time the child gets out of bed. It may take multiple attempts, even dozens, but consistency is key to success.

✨Maintain a calm and neutral demeanour throughout the process. This helps convey that leaving the bed is not playful or attention-seeking behaviour.

✨For children who are very persistent in getting out of bed, consider using physical barriers like a stair gate at the bedroom door (if appropriate) to reinforce the boundaries.

✨This method can be upsetting for both parent and child, but sticking with it is important and please remember that you have your child’s best interests at heart – wanting them to have a restful night’s sleep.

Gradual Retreat 

Steps for ‘gradual retreat’:

✨After putting your child to bed and kissing them goodnight, sit next to your child’s bed, resting your hand on your child whilst they fall asleep – without eye contact or conversation.

✨If your child tries to sit up or get out of bed, lay them back down. No eye contact or conversation, except for a single set phrase each time, for example ‘its sleep time’.

✨Keep doing this until your child falls asleep. This is ‘stage 1’.

✨Once your child is comfortable going to sleep like this for several nights, you move to ‘stage 2’.

✨In stage 2, you do not rest your hand on your child - instead, you simply sit by the bed until they are asleep.

✨Gradually, you move further from the bed in stages, until you are out of the room and your child can settle themselves and fall asleep without you there.

✨If your child wakes up during the night, repeat the current ‘stage’ as usual.

✨Just like the ‘rapid return’ method, consistency and persistence are key – keep going and you will see results.

Sleep Diary 

Child’s name: ………………………………………

Different Services 

There are lots of different services, charities and organisations which can be accessed for further information and/or support. Some examples are listed below:

References

Aiming Higher. https://www.aiminghighercharity.org.uk/

Blackpool Children and Young Persons Learning Disability and Neuro Team. https://www.blackpoolteachinghospitals.nhs.uk/services/childrens-community-services/children-and-young-persons-learning-disability-and-neuro-team

Blackpool Parent Forum. https://www.blackpoolparentforum.co.uk/

Cerebra. https://cerebra.org.uk/get-advice-support/sleep-advice-service/

Contact. https://www.contact.org.uk

GOSH. https://media.gosh.nhs.uk/documents/GOSH_Sleep_Hygiene_in_children.pdf

National Autistic Society. https://www.autism.org.uk/

NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/baby/health/sleep-and-young-children/

The Sleep Charity. https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/information-support/children/

Tommee Tippee. https://www.tommeetippee.com/en-gb/product/groclock-sleep-trainer-clock

Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/children-and-sleep

Visual timetable: bedtime routine 

Author Child Health Team 

Approved by Child Health Directorate Meeting 

Date of Publication 21/01/2026

Reference No PL/1669 (v1) 

Review Date 01/01/2029