What 10–13 hours means for a 5-year-old
At 5, a child is in the last year of the National Sleep Foundation’s preschool group (3–5 years), which recommends 10 to 13 hours of sleep in 24 hours. Most 5-year-olds no longer nap, so this usually all comes at night. At 6, the recommendation becomes 9–11 hours.
The NSF lists 8–9 or 14 hours as “may be appropriate”. The highlighted row below applies to a 5-year-old.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine gives the same 10–13 hours, including naps, for children aged 3 to 5. Every child is different, so treat the range as a guide and watch how your child seems during the day: a well-rested child usually wakes more easily, is in a better mood and settles more readily at bedtime.
| 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 common wake-up times
Count back from the time your child needs to get up for school. The table shows when they need to be asleep, not just in bed, for 12, 11 or 10 hours.
| Wake up | 12 h sleep | 11 h sleep | 10 h sleep |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:30 AM06:30 | 6:30 PM18:30 | 7:30 PM19:30 | 8:30 PM20:30 |
| 7:00 AM07:00 | 7:00 PM19:00 | 8:00 PM20:00 | 9:00 PM21:00 |
| 7:30 AM07:30 | 7:30 PM19:30 | 8:30 PM20:30 | 9:30 PM21:30 |
For a 7:00 AM school wake-up, being asleep by 8:00 PM (20:00) gives 11 hours, in the middle of the recommended range.
Sleep and starting school
Starting school brings early mornings, long days and lots of new things to take in. Tiredness can show up as tears, meltdowns or clinginess after school rather than yawning.
Keep after-school time calm where you can, have tea at a regular time, and protect bedtime on school nights. Keeping weekend wake-up times within about an hour of school days makes Monday mornings easier.
Signs a 5-year-old needs more sleep
- They are hard to wake most school mornings.
- They fall asleep in the car or on the sofa in the late afternoon.
- They are often irritable, tearful or struggle to concentrate.
- They sleep much longer at weekends than on school nights.
A sample school day for a 5-year-old
With no nap at this age, all of a 5-year-old’s sleep needs to come at night. A school day that fits the recommended 10–13 hours:
- 7:00 AM: wake up.
- 3:30 PM: home from school, with a snack and some quiet time.
- 5:30 PM: evening meal.
- 6:45 PM: bath, pyjamas, teeth and a story.
- 7:45 PM: asleep, giving 11 hours 15 minutes before a 7:00 AM wake-up.
If after-school clubs push the evening later, keep the bedtime routine short rather than skipping it.
Weekends, holidays and clock changes
Keep weekend wake-ups within about an hour of school days so Monday mornings stay manageable. Before the new school term, bring bedtime and wake-up time back by 15 minutes every day or two.
When the clocks change, move bedtime by 10 to 15 minutes a day over the few days before, rather than all at once. For nearby ages, see a 4-year-old and a 6-year-old.
An evening routine for school nights
A predictable evening makes bedtime easier for children starting school. Many families find this kind of order works well:
- a snack and some downtime after school, with active play outside if possible;
- tea at a regular time;
- screens off about an hour before bed;
- bath, pyjamas, teeth and a story in bed;
- lights out at the same time each school night.
Getting clothes and bags ready the evening before also makes mornings calmer, so your child isn’t rushed out of bed.
More answers
- How much sleep a 4-year-old needsNearby answer
- How much sleep a 6-year-old needsNearby answer
- How much sleep a 3-year-old needsNearby answer
- How much sleep a 7-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
What time should a 5-year-old go to bed on school nights?
For a 7:00 AM (07:00) wake-up, being asleep between 7:00 PM (19:00) and 9:00 PM (21:00) gives 10–12 hours. Many families aim for lights-out around 7:30–8:00 PM.
Does a 5-year-old need a nap?
Most 5-year-olds no longer nap. If yours is very tired after school, an earlier bedtime usually works better than a late-afternoon nap.
Why does my 5-year-old melt down after school?
Tiredness from long, busy days is a common reason. A calm snack, quiet time and an earlier bedtime often help, especially in the first term.
Related calculators
Sleep needs by age
See the recommended hours of sleep for any age, from newborns to older adults.
Bedtime calculator
Enter any wake-up time to see bedtimes that let you wake between sleep cycles.
Nap calculator
Plan a 10-, 20- or 90-minute nap and see when to set your alarm.
Sleep debt calculator
Add up the last seven nights and see how far you are from your sleep target.
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.