SleepCalcHub.com

How Much Sleep Does an 8-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

An 8-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 an 8-year-old

    At 8, a child is in the National Sleep Foundation’s school-age group (6–13 years), which recommends 9 to 11 hours of sleep in 24 hours, nearly all of it at night.

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

    The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends a slightly wider 9–12 hours for children aged 6 to 12. SleepCalcHub uses the National Sleep Foundation’s ranges throughout, so you’ll see 9–11 hours here. Either way, how your child seems during the day is the best guide to whether they are getting enough.

    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, not just in bed, for 11, 10 or 9 hours.

    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 9:00 PM (21:00) gives 10 hours, right in the middle of the recommended range.

    Sport, screens and sleepovers

    Eight-year-olds often have sport, clubs and more screen time, and sleepovers become more common. These are good for children, but they can quietly cut into sleep.

    • Plan late activities for nights before a day off where possible.
    • Switch off screens about an hour before bed and keep devices out of the bedroom.
    • After a late night, aim for an earlier bedtime the next evening rather than a long lie-in.

    Signs an 8-year-old needs more sleep

    Watch for difficulty waking, irritability, poor concentration at school, or falling asleep in the car. If these happen most weeks, try moving bedtime 15 minutes earlier every few nights. If nothing changes after a few weeks, talk to your child’s doctor.

    A bedtime routine for an 8-year-old

    By 8, many children can manage much of their own bedtime routine, which helps them feel grown-up and cuts down on reminders. A simple list on the bedroom door can help:

    • screens off and devices charging outside the bedroom;
    • bath or shower, pyjamas and teeth;
    • school bag and clothes ready for the morning;
    • 15 minutes of reading in bed, then lights out.

    Keep the same lights-out time on school nights, and check in briefly to say goodnight. Many children still value that time to talk about their day.

    More answers

    Frequently asked questions

    What time should an 8-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 8:00–9:00 PM on school nights.

    Is 8 hours of sleep enough for an 8-year-old?

    Eight hours is below the recommended 9–11 hours, though the National Sleep Foundation lists 7–8 hours as possibly appropriate for some. If your child seems tired, try an earlier bedtime.

    Should an 8-year-old have a phone or tablet in their bedroom at night?

    Many sleep experts advise keeping devices out of the bedroom overnight, because screens and notifications can delay and disturb sleep.

    • 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

    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.