SleepCalcHub.com

How Much Sleep Does a 6-Year-Old Need?

  1. Recommended

    School-age child, 6–13 years

    9–11 hoursin 24 hours

  2. May be appropriate

    7–8 or 12 hoursin 24 hours

    Outside thisnot recommended

A 6-year-old generally needs 9–11 hours of sleep in 24 hours, according to the National Sleep Foundation’s recommendations for the school-age child group (6–13 years). 7–8 or 12 hours may be appropriate for some.

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Recommended sleep

    What 9–11 hours means for a 6-year-old

    At 6, a child moves into the National Sleep Foundation’s school-age group (6–13 years), which recommends 9 to 11 hours of sleep in 24 hours. Almost all of this comes at night; daytime naps are unusual at this age.

    The NSF lists 7–8 or 12 hours as “may be appropriate” for some children. The highlighted row below applies to a 6-year-old.

    National Sleep Foundation, hours in 24 hours
    Age groupAgesRecommendedMay be appropriate
    Newborn0–3 months14–17 h11–13 or 18–19 h
    Infant4–11 months12–15 h10–11 or 16–18 h
    Toddler1–2 years11–14 h9–10 or 15–16 h
    Preschooler3–5 years10–13 h8–9 or 14 h
    School-age child6–13 years9–11 h7–8 or 12 h
    Teenager14–17 years8–10 h7 or 11 h
    Young adult18–25 years7–9 h6 or 10–11 h
    Adult26–64 years7–9 h6 or 10 h
    Older adult65+ years7–8 h5–6 or 9 h

    Asleep-by times for common wake-up times

    Count back from the time your child needs to get up. The table shows when they need to be asleep for 11, 10 or 9 hours. Allow extra time for the bedtime routine.

    Asleep-by times for common wake-up times
    Wake up11 h sleep10 h sleep9 h sleep
    6:30 AM06:307:30 PM19:308:30 PM20:309:30 PM21:30
    7:00 AM07:008:00 PM20:009:00 PM21:0010:00 PM22:00
    7:30 AM07:308:30 PM20:309:30 PM21:3010:30 PM22:30

    For a 7:00 AM wake-up, being asleep by 8:30 PM (20:30) gives 10.5 hours, comfortably within the recommended range.

    Long school days and after-school tiredness

    Six-year-olds often have full school days plus clubs and homework. Tiredness can look like grumpiness, arguing or trouble settling rather than sleepiness.

    A predictable evening helps: tea at a regular time, a bath or wash, then a story in bed. Reading together is a good way to wind down and keeps screens out of the last hour before sleep.

    Signs a 6-year-old needs more sleep

    • They are hard to wake on school mornings or need several reminders to get up.
    • They are irritable, tearful or have trouble concentrating, especially later in the day.
    • They doze off in the car or in front of the TV.
    • They sleep much longer on weekends.

    If you notice these most weeks, try moving bedtime 15 minutes earlier every few nights.

    Weekends and school holidays

    It’s tempting to let bedtimes slide at weekends and in the holidays. A little flexibility is fine, but keeping bedtime and wake-up time within about an hour of school days helps your child’s body clock stay steady.

    If bedtimes have drifted later over the holidays, start bringing them back about a week before school starts, moving bedtime and wake-up time 15 minutes earlier every day or two. Getting outside in the morning light helps the body clock adjust.

    Children who snore loudly most nights, or who seem to pause in their breathing during sleep, should be checked by their doctor.

    More answers

    Frequently asked questions

    What time should a 6-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. Many families aim for lights-out around 7:30–8:30 PM.

    Is 9 hours of sleep enough for a 6-year-old?

    Nine hours is at the lower end of the 9–11 hour recommendation. If your child seems tired or struggles to wake, an earlier bedtime may help.

    Why do other sources say 9–12 hours?

    The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 9–12 hours for ages 6 to 12. SleepCalcHub uses the National Sleep Foundation’s ranges, which give 9–11 hours for ages 6 to 13.

    • Sleep needs by age

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    • Bedtime calculator

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    • Nap calculator

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    • Sleep debt calculator

      Add up the last seven nights and see how far you are from your sleep target.

    Sources

    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.