Is Your Child Getting Enough Sleep? What Parents Should Know

Getting your kids to bed can be a challenge, especially when they have homework to finish, a favorite show to watch, or something else they'd rather do than sleep. And even after you've finally gotten them into bed, there's no guarantee they'll fall asleep right away.

Even when bedtime goes smoothly, you might still wonder whether your child is getting enough rest. After all, getting into bed and actually falling asleep aren't always the same thing.

According to the National Sleep Foundation's (NSF) 2026 Sleep in America Poll, 44% of children ages 0–13 weren't consistently getting the recommended amount of sleep for their age.

The report also found that many parents underestimate how much sleep their kids need, which can make it harder to recognize when they're not getting enough.

Are kids getting as much sleep as they need?

You probably have a general idea of how much sleep your child needs. But if you've ever wondered whether eight or nine hours is enough, the answer may depend on their age.

The NSF surveyed 977 parents and caregivers in the U.S. and found that 57% underestimated how much sleep their children needed.

For kids ages 6–13, parents estimated that their children needed an average of 8 hours and 42 minutes of sleep a day. That's below the NSF's recommendation of 9–11 hours for this age group.

In the press release announcing the findings, Joseph Dzierzewski, PhD, senior vice president of research and scientific affairs at the National Sleep Foundation, said:

“When nearly half of U.S. children aren't getting the sleep they need, and at the same time many parents aren't championing evidence-based recommendations, we're facing a knowledge gap that challenges public health.”

You may already have a set bedtime for your child, but it's worth checking whether that schedule actually leaves enough time for sleep, especially when they need to get up early for school.

How much sleep do kids need at different ages?

Kids don't need the same amount of sleep as adults. And as they grow, the amount of sleep they need changes, too.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends:

Let's say your 10-year-old needs to be up by 6:30 AM for school. If they're going to bed at 10 PM, that only leaves eight and a half hours before it's time to wake up. And that's assuming they fall asleep as soon as their head hits the pillow.

For a child that age, the recommended range is 9–12 hours, so their bedtime may need to be earlier to allow enough sleep.

If you'd like a closer look at how sleep needs change as kids grow, our article Sleep and Children: Everything Parents Need to Know covers the different age groups in more detail.

How can you tell if your child isn't getting enough sleep?

Sometimes it's obvious when your child is tired. They're yawning, rubbing their eyes, or falling asleep in the car on the way home.

Other times, the signs can be harder to spot. Some kids become restless, moody, or more easily frustrated when they haven't slept enough. They may not even realize that being tired is part of the reason they're having a difficult day.

Here are a few things to look for:

• Mornings are a daily struggle. You may need to wake your child several times before they finally get out of bed.
• They seem crankier than usual. Small frustrations might lead to tears, arguments, or sudden mood changes.
• Schoolwork becomes harder. Your child may struggle to concentrate, remember instructions, or finish assignments.
• They're sleepy during the day. They might fall asleep in the car, need frequent naps, or have little energy for activities they usually enjoy.
• They become unusually restless. Younger kids sometimes seem more active when they're overtired instead of slowing down.
• They sleep much longer on weekends. Regularly sleeping several extra hours on days off may mean they're catching up on sleep missed during the week.

You don't need to watch for every sign on this list. If your child often seems tired, has trouble getting up, or shows changes in mood and concentration, take a look at their usual bedtime and wake-up time.

What's keeping kids from getting enough sleep?

There are plenty of reasons why bedtime doesn't always go smoothly. Some are easier to address than others, and the challenges often change as your kids get older.

With younger kids, bedtime may involve repeated requests for water, another story, or a few more minutes with you. Nighttime fears can also make it harder for them to settle down.

Once your child starts school, evenings tend to get busier. Homework, sports, family activities, and early school mornings can leave a smaller window for sleep.

Then there are screens. Your child might plan to watch one video before bed, only to end up watching several more. Games, messages, and social media can also keep older kids awake well past their usual bedtime.

Teenagers have another challenge that isn't entirely under their control. During puberty, their circadian rhythm, or internal body clock, naturally shifts. This can make them feel sleepy later at night, even when they have to get up early the next morning.

Of course, not every sleep problem is related to bedtime habits. Stress, worries about school, nighttime awakenings, and conditions such as sleep apnea can also make it harder to get a good night's rest. If your child regularly struggles with sleep, especially if they snore loudly or seem very sleepy during the day, it's worth bringing it up with their pediatrician.

What happens when kids don't get enough sleep?

Think about how you feel after a night of poor sleep. It's probably harder to concentrate, keep up with your usual routine, or stay patient when something goes wrong.

Kids can experience similar difficulties, and a lack of sleep may affect how they learn, manage emotions, and behave throughout the day.

In the NSF survey, 69% of parents said poor sleep affected their child's mood and daytime functioning. Meanwhile, 86% said their child was in a better mood and behaved better after a good night's sleep.

And when your child isn't sleeping well, there's a good chance you're feeling the effects, too.

Nearly four in five parents surveyed said their own sleep suffered when their child slept poorly. For parents of younger kids, that might mean getting up in the middle of the night to comfort them. With older kids, late bedtimes and difficult mornings can also affect your household's routine.

In fact, the survey found that parents who spent time thinking about their child's sleep devoted an average of more than two hours a day to it.

What can you do to help your kids sleep better?

You don't have to create a complicated bedtime schedule to help your child get more rest. A few changes to your evening routine may be enough to make bedtime easier and give your kids more time to sleep.

The survey found that families already use different approaches to help their children settle down. About 49% of parents used blackout curtains, 46% included reading before bed, and 41% used sound machines.

Here are some practical ways to build a bedtime routine that works for your family.

Set a bedtime that allows enough sleep

Start with the time your child needs to wake up in the morning, then work backward using the recommended sleep hours for their age.

For example, if your child needs to be awake at 7 AM and you're aiming for 10 hours of sleep, they'll need to be asleep around 9 PM. That means you may want to start winding down well before then.

Try to keep bedtime and wake-up times similar on weekends, too. Staying up a little later occasionally is fine, but big changes can make it harder to get back into a school-night routine.

Make the hour before bed more relaxing

For younger kids, bedtime might include a bath, brushing their teeth, changing into pajamas, and reading a story together. Older kids may prefer reading on their own, listening to quiet music, or talking about their day.

Try to stick with activities that help your child feel calm rather than keeping them excited or alert.

Put screens away before bedtime

It's easy for screen time to stretch longer than planned, particularly when your child is watching videos, playing games, or messaging friends.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends turning off screens at least an hour before bedtime.

One way to make this easier is to set a household rule for charging phones and tablets outside bedrooms overnight. You can also join in by putting your own phone away during your family's bedtime routine.

Check their sleeping environment

A bedroom that's too bright, noisy, or warm can make it harder to sleep comfortably.

If light from outside comes through the windows, blackout curtains may help. Younger kids who don't like sleeping in the dark may feel more comfortable with a small nightlight.

You can also check whether noise, room temperature, or other distractions are waking your child during the night.

Get outside during the day

Time outdoors gives your child a chance to be active while also getting natural daylight, which helps regulate their circadian rhythm.

Morning daylight is particularly helpful because it signals to the body that it's time to be awake.

Whether your kids enjoy riding bikes, playing outside, walking to school, or joining a sports team, regular daytime activity can help support a healthy sleep schedule.

Talk about why sleep matters

You might spend a lot of time reminding your kids to go to bed, but how often do you actually talk about why sleep is important?

The survey found that 49% of parents rarely or never had those conversations with their children.

Younger kids may understand sleep better when you explain how it helps their bodies grow and gives them energy to play. For teenagers, you can talk about how sleep affects their concentration, mood, schoolwork, and athletic performance.

It's also a chance to find out what's keeping your child awake. Maybe they're worried about something at school, don't feel sleepy at their usual bedtime, or have trouble putting their phone down.

Helping your child get the sleep they need

Finding the right bedtime routine may take some trial and error, especially as your kids grow and their schedules change. What worked when they were younger may need adjusting once school, activities, and other commitments become part of their evenings.

Start by making sure your child has enough time to sleep each night, then build a routine that helps them settle down. Paying attention to how they feel and function during the day can help you decide whether those changes are working.

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About the Author

Dr. Ruchir P. Patel, MD, FACP, is the Medical Director of the Insomnia and Sleep Institute of Arizona and the founder of Sip2Sleep. He is triple board-certified in sleep medicine, obesity medicine, and internal medicine. Dr. Patel is a multi-year Phoenix Magazine Top Doctor and holds the Inspire Excellence designation.

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References

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2023, October 18). Screen time affecting sleep. https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/media-and-children/center-of-excellence-on-social-media-and-youth-mental-health/qa-portal/qa-portal-library/qa-portal-library-questions/screen-time-affecting-sleep/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 15). About sleep. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/

National Sleep Foundation. (2026a, March 5). National Sleep Foundation's 2026 Sleep in America® Poll: A focus on America's youngest sleepers: Understanding children's sleep in the context of family sleep health. https://www.thensf.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/NSF-2026-Sleep-in-America-Poll-Report.pdf

National Sleep Foundation. (2026b, March 5). New data from National Sleep Foundation show nearly half of U.S. children don't get enough sleep. https://www.thensf.org/half-of-u-s-children-dont-get-enough-sleep/