This Guide Shows Exactly How Many Hours of Sleep Your Child Needs, From Birth to Adulthood

There are a million ways your child could potentially avoid going to sleep at night — how is it that they're suddenly so thirsty at bedtime? — but new official guidelines that lay out how many hours of sleep your child needs reveal why fighting that endless bedtime battle is so important.

It's no surprise to any parent that a well-rested child is a happy child, but a sufficient night's sleep is also linked to improved attention span, behavior, and learning, as well as good mental and physical health. Conversely, a lack of sleep increases your child's risk of obesity, depression, diabetes, and accidents, which is why this guide to sleep — based on scientific evidence comparing sleep duration and health — from experts at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine is so important.

Check the table below to find out how much sleep your child should be getting, from 4 months old straight into adulthood.