Here’s Something Your Kid’s Mood, Grades, and Immunity Have in Common

Most parents are quick to stay on top of screen time, fruits and vegetables (and junk food, too), schoolwork, and playtime when it comes to kids. But what about their sleep? Children’s sleep regularly falls through the cracks, treated like something that just happens when the day is done. But did you know that what happens to a young brain and body during sleep is critical to help them thrive? It’s when their brains consolidate memory for learning, their bodies release growth hormone for healing and development, and they strengthen their immune system. Getting good sleep also can help them regulate their emotions.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends the following amount of sleep per night by age:

• Newborns: (0-3 months), between 14 and 17 hours 
• Older infants: (4-11 months), between 12 to 15 hours
• Toddlers: (1-2 years), between 11 and 14 hours
• Preschoolers: (3-5 years) between 10 to 13 hours 
• School-age kids: (6-13 years) between 9 to 11 hours

So, focusing on healthy sleep for kids sounds like a no brainer, right? But NSF’s 2026 Sleep in America® Poll showed 44% of children don’t consistently get the recommended amount of sleep for their age. What’s driving that problem? Some of the top culprits are irregular bedtimes, evening screen exposure, and overscheduled days. We now know that parents’ estimates of how much sleep their child needs fall below NSF’s recommendations, often by more than an hour per day. Think about the great effects of helping a child get another hour of sleep!

What Families Can Do Together for Kids’ Sleep

Nearly 7 in 10 parents say poor sleep negatively affects their child’s mood and daytime functioning. You probably can relate to that. But when a child has poor sleep, it’s not their issue alone. 4 in 5 parents say their own sleep also suffers when their child sleeps poorly. Sound familiar? Let’s focus specifically on some steps you can take for your child’s sleep.

First, there are things kids can do during the day that help their sleep at night. However possible, sunlight or bright light in the mornings helps jumpstart their body clocks. If it’s hard for them to get sunlight, there are special indoor lights that act similarly. Developmentally, “body clocks” for kids are timed different from adults, but daytime light still a good thing for sleep. Next, give them the chance to play or exercise in a way that gets their body moving—outdoors or indoors. Finally, giving them meals or snacks at consistent times day after day can also help set them up for better sleep at night. 

Focusing on nighttime, here are a few health sleep habits that can make a big difference. Of course, you know your family best. Still, these basic behaviors come from research and could be shaped for anyone to consider.

• Cut caffeine after noon as a household rule. This includes coffee, sodas, teas, and energy drinks, or caffeinated snacks. Yes, this means adults model the behavior too (not just enforcing it for children).
• Eat dinner at least two hours before bedtime. Larger meals too close to target bedtimes at night can disrupt sleep.
• Set and even share a wind-down ritual. It doesn’t need to be elaborate. Reading, light conversation, or a brief stretching routine repeated nightly reinforces sleep cues for a child over time.
• Set a consistent sleep and wake schedule, including weekends. Irregular schedules on weekends can disrupt the body’s internal clock for days afterward. It helps to know how much sleep is recommended for your child by age and then plan a schedule that can deliver.
• Create a device-free window at least 60 minutes before bed. There are many reasons why this is important. Make the hour before bed a low-stimulation zone for everyone. Active screen use and content fuels active minds and can get in the way of sleep. Adults included.

• Keep the bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. The ideal sleep temperature for most people is between 65–68°F. Especially for kids, blackout curtains, white noise machines, and dim night lights are commonly used to help set up a room for optimal sleep.
• Talk about sleep the same way you talk about nutrition and exercise. Families should treat sleep as a genuine health priority.

Looking Ahead

Let’s talk about sleep the same way we talk about nutrition and exercise with kids. Sleep also is a fundamental health priority for them. Getting enough of the quality sleep a child needs can help children socially, how they perform at school and in the activities they love, help keep them healthy and safe, and overall be an important building block for the household of a Best Slept® Family.