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A sleep guide for your school-age child (age: 7 to 12 years)
How little are our children sleeping?
What are the consequences of insufficient sleep?
What can we do to help our children sleep more?
Short sleep: the #1 sleep problem in Singapore
On weekdays, school-age children in Singapore (age: 7 to 12 years) sleep 8.4 hours on average – much less than their peers in other parts of the world.
On weekdays, only 35.5% sleep 9 to 11 hours, the duration recommended by sleep experts for this age group.
Myths about sleep
Myth #1
Myth busted!
Myth #2
Myth busted!
In Singapore, most children try to catch up with their sleep over the weekends. The percentage of children sleeping the recommended duration more than doubles, while the average sleep duration increases to 9.5 hours.
Fact check time!
Poorer academic performance
Sleepiness during the day
More symptoms of depression
Poorer social competence
Ways to improve your child's sleep
1. Be a role model and set a bedtime for your child.
2. Set up a bedtime routine that involves a wind-down period.
3. Prioritise your child's sleep over other activities.
4. Discourage TV watching and electronic device usage one hour before bedtime.
5. Limit consumption of caffeinated/energy drinks.
6. Set up an optimal sleeping environment for your child.
Dark & not too hot/cold
Quiet (ensure phone is off / on silent mode)
Reserve the bed for sleeping only
We hope you find this sleep guide helpful and your child can now sleep more!
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