What 9–11 hours means for a 13-year-old
At 13, a child is in the National Sleep Foundation’s school-age group, which runs from 6 to 13 years. For this group the recommended amount is 9 to 11 hours of sleep in every 24 hours. Thirteen is the last year in this group, so a 13-year-old is right on the boundary with the teenager group.
The NSF also lists 7–8 hours or 12 hours as “may be appropriate”. Some healthy young people fall into these ranges, but anything outside them is not recommended. The highlighted row in the table below is the one that applies to a 13-year-old.
| Age group | Ages | Recommended | May be appropriate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newborn | 0–3 months | 14–17 h | 11–13 or 18–19 h |
| Infant | 4–11 months | 12–15 h | 10–11 or 16–18 h |
| Toddler | 1–2 years | 11–14 h | 9–10 or 15–16 h |
| Preschooler | 3–5 years | 10–13 h | 8–9 or 14 h |
| School-age child | 6–13 years | 9–11 h | 7–8 or 12 h |
| Teenager | 14–17 years | 8–10 h | 7 or 11 h |
| Young adult | 18–25 years | 7–9 h | 6 or 10–11 h |
| Adult | 26–64 years | 7–9 h | 6 or 10 h |
| Older adult | 65+ years | 7–8 h | 5–6 or 9 h |
Asleep-by times for school mornings
The table shows when a 13-year-old needs to be asleep for 11, 10 or 9 hours, depending on their wake-up time.
| Wake up | 11 h sleep | 10 h sleep | 9 h sleep |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:30 AM06:30 | 7:30 PM19:30 | 8:30 PM20:30 | 9:30 PM21:30 |
| 7:00 AM07:00 | 8:00 PM20:00 | 9:00 PM21:00 | 10:00 PM22:00 |
| 7:30 AM07:30 | 8:30 PM20:30 | 9:30 PM21:30 | 10:30 PM22:30 |
For a 7:00 AM wake-up, being asleep by 10:00 PM (22:00) gives 9 hours, the bottom of the NSF range.
Why some sources say 8–10 hours at 13
Different organisations draw their age groups in different places. The National Sleep Foundation includes 13-year-olds with younger children and recommends 9–11 hours. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine puts 13-year-olds with teenagers and recommends 8–10 hours. The CDC uses the same groups as the AASM.
In practice, the overlap is 9–10 hours, and that is a sensible target for most 13-year-olds. SleepCalcHub uses the NSF ranges throughout so that every page is consistent.
The teenage body clock starts to shift
Around this age, the body starts releasing its sleep hormone, melatonin, later in the evening. Many 13-year-olds genuinely don’t feel sleepy until 10:30 or 11:00 PM, but still have to get up early for school. The result is often a steady sleep shortfall during the week.
Things that help include morning daylight, a regular wake-up time at weekends as well as on school days, dim lights and no screens in the last hour before bed, and avoiding caffeine after lunch. Weekend lie-ins of more than an hour or two can make Monday mornings even harder.
Phones and the bedroom
Many 13-year-olds have their own phone, and late-night messages are a common reason for lost sleep. Agree on a time when phones go down, ideally an hour before bed, and have them charge outside the bedroom overnight. Making it a family rule, rather than one just for your teenager, tends to work better.
More answers
- How much sleep a 12-year-old needsNearby answer
- How much sleep a 14-year-old needsNearby answer
- How much sleep an 11-year-old needsNearby answer
- How much sleep a 15-year-old needsNearby answer
- Bedtime for a 4 AM wake-upRelated answer
- Bedtime for a 4:15 AM wake-upRelated answer
- Bedtime for a 4:30 AM wake-upRelated answer
- Bedtime for a 4:45 AM wake-upRelated answer
Frequently asked questions
How much sleep does a 13-year-old need?
The National Sleep Foundation recommends 9–11 hours. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 8–10 hours for ages 13 to 18. Most 13-year-olds do well with 9–10 hours.
What time should a 13-year-old go to bed?
For a 7:00 AM (07:00) wake-up, being asleep between 8:00 PM (20:00) and 10:00 PM (22:00) gives 9–11 hours. Lights-out around 9:30 PM suits many 13-year-olds on school nights.
Why can’t my 13-year-old fall asleep at night?
The body clock shifts later during puberty, so falling asleep earlier can feel hard. A fixed wake-up time, morning light and a screen-free last hour help. If sleep problems persist, talk to their doctor.
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Sources
- Hirshkowitz M, et al. National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Sleep Health, 2015;1(1):40–43. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010.
- Paruthi S, et al. Recommended Amount of Sleep for Pediatric Populations: A Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2016;12(6):785–786. doi:10.5664/jcsm.5866.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Sleep.
When to seek help
Talk to your child’s doctor if they:
- snore loudly most nights, or pause, gasp or snort while asleep;
- are very hard to wake, or are often sleepy, irritable or struggling to focus during the day;
- regularly take a long time to fall asleep or wake often in the night;
- have sleep problems that are affecting school, mood or family life.