Is he getting enough sleep?

Question

My son is 3, almost 4, and he goes to sleep every night at 9 pm. He is always up by 6 am. This doesn't seem like enough for a little guy, & he never takes naps anymore. I don't really know how to make him sleep more, so I guess I'm just wondering if this is ok? Thanks!

Answer 1

I would probably try to change his down time. I know that my 4 year old seems so much 'better', since I changed his bedtime to 8pm. Seems early, but he gets up @ 7 and no naps for him either. I always tell him that he only grows when he is asleep, and apparently he wants to be 8 feet tall.

You can tell if he needs more sleep if he gets whiny, or has mini meltdowns over little stuff. If he acts grouchy at times, like around nap time, or before he goes to bed. For me, it was throwing fits, crying over little stuff, and a lot of drama. We changed his bedtime, which took a little time for him to adjust, but all of the behavior issues we had are gone.

If you don't see any of this type of stuff, and you feel he is doing fine,. then I wouldn't worry about it. I did learn that the most important thing is to not let them fall asleep on the couch, or on the floor, then you move them. That sets up real sleep issues when they get older.

Have fun with your boy, mine makes ME want to go to bed at 8!!

Answer 2

When i read your question i thought wow that's 9 hours but when i goggled how much sleep does a preschooler need they suggest 10-12 hours.
From ages 1 to 3, most toddlers sleep about 10 to 13 hours.
Preschoolers sleep about 10 to 12 hours per night, but there's no reason to be completely rigid about which 10 to 12 hours they are.
Kids ages 6 to 9 need about 10 hours of sleep a night.
As long as your son is happy and not to cranky. I would say he may be one of those kids who don't need as much sleep as other kids.
Unlike me I need at least 8-10 hours sleep or I am a crab.

Answer 3

If he's obviously tired during the day, or more cranky than usual he needs a little extra sleep.

But 10 hours is probably just fine for a nearly 4 year old :) Each kid is different. Some people can do with less sleep, others need more than most.

If his behavior is okay i wouldnt worry about it.

Answer 4

well my 5 yr old goes down at about 8 and gets up at 7... it took awhile for her to get used to this routine, but she seems more rested... truth is there is no magic number- every child needs different amounts- chances are if he isn't tired or cranky all day then he is probably getting enough sleep...