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Sleep is vital to children and young people’s health, wellbeing, learning and development. It is important to ensure babies, children and young people have the right amount of sleep so they have enough energy for the next day’s activities.

The internal body clock tells us when to sleep and when to wake up, regulating our sleep pattern. Moving in a 24 hour daily cycle our internal body clock responds mainly to daylight. We all go through sleep cycles. We move through light sleep, deep sleep, dream sleep, waking and then going back to sleep. Each of these cycles lasts for approximately 90 minutes. Brief waking after each cycle is part of a normal sleep pattern.

Sleep needs change as children and young people get older. It helps to have an idea of how much sleep your child or young person needs as this will be different depending on their age. All children and young people are unique and some will need more or less sleep than others.

 

Sleep for Babies and Toddlers

Decorative imageNewborns and young babies spend a lot time sleeping. They don't yet know the difference between night and day in the early days. Most babies sleep for a few hours at a time and it is normal for them to wake regularly for lots of different reasons. You can find lots of information and resources using the links below:

 

How to Help your Child or Young Person to Develop Good Sleep Habits

When babies are put into bed drowsy but not asleep, they are more likely to learn to ‘self- soothe’. This means they will be able to fall asleep independently and also go back to sleep when they wake during the night. For those who have been soothed until they fall asleep this becomes a habit and they may become dependent on this routine to fall asleep and when they wake during the night. Establishing a good bedtime routine which helps your child or young person to settle to sleep and to stay asleep will support them to develop a healthy independent sleep pattern.

 

During the Day

  • Encourage your child or young person to be active during the day and spend some of the day outside. This will give them exposure to natural daylight and help them to feel tired at the end of the day so they will have a more restful sleep.
  • Encourage a healthy diet with regular meal times. Avoid a large meal too close to bedtime. Having a light snack at bedtime will ensure your child or young person is not hungry and can help them to settle to sleep like a drink of milk and slice of wholemeal toast.
  • Caffeine has a stimulant effect and can prevent people from feeling tired. Caffeine is found in tea, coffee, chocolate, cola, fizzy drinks and energy drinks. These should always be avoided in the afternoon and evening and should be limited throughout the day.
  • Daytime naps can help prevent young children becoming overtired. However, these should be scheduled to ensure your child does not have a prolonged nap in the late afternoon which is too close to bedtime.

 

The Bedroom

  • To help your child or young person get a good night’s sleep there may be changes you can make within their bedroom. The room should be a comfortable temperature being neither too warm nor too cold. A quiet, dark, calm environment with toys tidied away will encourage sleep. Use a nightlight if your child or young person is frightened of the dark. Where possible reduce any external noise within the household.

 

Bedtime

  • It is important to decide on a bedtime which is suitable for your child or young person’s age. Putting them to bed at the same time each night and waking them at the same time each morning; including at weekends will strengthen their body clock and help them to develop a regular sleep and wake cycle.

 

 

Bedtime Routine

Prepare your Child or Young Person for Bed

  • A consistent bedtime routine is important as it teaches your child or young person what to expect in the time leading up to bedtime.
  • All electronic devices should be turned off at least one hour before bedtime this includes T.V, computers, games consoles and phones. The blue light from screens stimulates brain activity which delays the onset of sleep.
  • Help them to become involved in a quiet, relaxing activity such as colouring/drawing or building a jigsaw in the lead up to bedtime.
  • Baths are helpful but only if your child or young person finds them relaxing. Ideally a bath should take place at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
  • The bedtime routine should last about 20-30 minutes and have an end-point which your child or young person will know means it is time to go to sleep, such as turning out the light and saying goodnight and leaving the room.

 

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Gradual Stages of Change

If your child or young person will not settle to sleep by themselves and needs you with them this is a useful method of helping them to learn to settle to sleep alone. Rather than leaving your child or young person to cry, you can gradually increase the distance between you and your child or young person over a period of time until they no longer need you beside them to fall asleep. This can take a period of weeks and should begin with you sitting on a chair by the child or young person's bedside and gradually moving the distance of the chair from the bedside until you are able to sit outside the door. If your child or young person wakes you should return to the stage you were at when you had settled your child or young person to sleep.

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Resources to Support Sleep

Sleep Support Videos

The aim of the sleep support videos is to:

  • Help you understand sleep in children and young people
  • Help you understand good sleep practice
  • Offer you a range of strategies to help you to feel more confident in managing your child or young person’s sleep.

Please be aware that it may take several months for any strategies you use to improve your child or young person’s sleep to become effective.

 

If you continue to be worried about your child or young person's sleep, please contact your Health Visitor or G.P.

Sleep Diary

It can be helpful to keep a sleep diary for at least 2 weeks. This will help you identify any problems with the bedtime routine.

Sometimes it becomes clear that just a small change in your routine can make a significant difference to your child or young person's sleep.

We have provided a template of a sleep diary for you to print off and use.

Products that could be helpful

The products below are sometimes used to support children and young people’s sleep. It is important that you think about what would be most suitable for your child or young person and consider their safety.  

  • All-in-One Pyjamas / Onesie can help your child or young person keep warm, especially if they are inclined to kick off their bedding at night.
  • Sleep Training Clocks can help children or young people to learn when it's time to get up and when it's time to go back to sleep. Choose a clock that suits your child or young person, look out for clocks that use images and colours to show day and night.
  • Weighted blankets and compression sheets are examples of sensory-based tools used in someone’s environment to provide deep pressure.  Deep pressure can have a calming effect on the nervous system. Some children and adults like using weighted blankets but there is little evidence that they improve sleep. You should always think about your child/young person's safety before trying a weighted blanket or compression sheet.
    • Do not use a weighted blanket or compression sheet:
      • if your child/young person has any physical, learning or other difficulties that might affect their understanding of the purpose and use of the weighted blanket or compression sheet and their ability to remove it on their own.
      • if your child/young person has any health conditions that might affect their ability to breathe, regulate their temperature and/or remove the blanket when they want to or maintain skin integrity.
      • if there are any mental health factors, such as an eating disorder or suicide risk, that might affect how someone uses a weighted blanket.
      • if they are taking any medications whose side effects or any illness affecting levels of alertness that might mean using a weighted blanket or compression sheet would be dangerous.
    • If you do decide to try a weighted blanket or compression sheet it is important to:
      • follow the manufacturer’s instructions on weight and size. These usually say a weighted blanket shouldn’t be more than 10% of the person’s weight.
      • make sure the blanket or sheet meets relevant health and safety standards, usually indicated by a safety mark such as the CE mark.
      • clean and maintain the blanket or sheet in line with the manufacturer’s instructions.
      • think about the level of supervision your child/young person needs when using a weighted blanket or compression sheet. How will they get up to the toilet or out of bed in an emergency?
      • if a weighted blanket is used at night, it is recommended that it doesn’t hang over the bed sides and that it’s removed when the person is asleep.
      • weighted blankets and compression sheets must not be used as a restraint to keep a child/young person in bed.

Other Sources of Support

General Sleep Advice

Sleep Action

Sleep Action (formerly Sleep Scotland) are a leading provider of sleep support, training, and resources. Visit Gateway to Good Sleep for more information on supporting children and young people's sleep. They can also offer families resident in Scotland one-to-one sleep support for any child aged 18 months-18 years Scottish Sleep Support Line.

The Sleep Charity

The Sleep Charity have a section all about sleep for babies, children and young people. The also run a National Sleep Helpline.

 

 

Sleep Advice for Children and Young People with Additional Support Needs

Contact

Contact has an information booklet for parents of disabled children to help your child sleep. Visit Helping You and Your Child Sleep Booklet for more information.

Council for Disabled Children

The Council for Disabled Children have Early Support Information on sleep which highlights the fact that problems with sleep are common, but are more likely to occur among children with additional needs. You will find information about how to develop good sleep practices and how to avoid sleep difficulties developing.

The Sleep Charity

The Sleep Charity have a section for children with additional support needs.

Down's Syndrome Association

We know that around 50% of children who have Down’s syndrome experience sleep issues. The Down's Syndrome Association have information on Managing sleep issues in children.

The National Autistic Society

The National Autistic Society (NAS) have information about Sleep and autism and visual supports that could be helpful in building a bedtime routine.

Editorial Information

Last reviewed: 04/04/2025

Next review date: 30/04/2026

Author(s): Nurses, Specialist Children's Services.

Approved By: KIDS Content Group, SCS Clinical Governance Executive Group

Reviewer name(s): KIDS Content Group.

We are one of the leading paediatric care centres in the UK, and the largest in Scotland. We provide family centred care to newborns, infants, children and young people both in hospital and in the community.

https://www.glasgowchildrenshospitalcharity.org/