Is it unhealthy for toddlers to get less than 9 hrs of sleep?

Married2003

DS is averaging about 8-9 hrs at night.  Regardless how early or late we put him to bed he's been getting up around 5:45-6:30.  He naps about 1.5-2.5 hrs (usually one nap).  I've tried everything to have him sleep longer in the morning but doesn't seem to be working.  

ateytelb

Is it 9 h total, including his day time nap? If not, then he should be ok. J. is an early riser too, and he has always been this way.

ntyravgmom

I decided to look up this topic. From what I've read, toddlers typically get about 10 hrs of sleep per day. Add in his 1.5-2.5 hr nap and he's averaging 10.5-11.5 hrs so he should be ok. While they recommend more for brain development, it's not the average and not all children are big sleepers. It sounds like he's doing well, provided that he's not super cranky. If you're really concerned, I would speak to his pediatrician.

Married2003

ateytelb:

Is it 9 h total, including his day time nap? If not, then he should be ok. J. is an early riser too, and he has always been this way.

if you add the couple hours nap he is at about 11 hours.  I guess that's enough because he not a super fuss kid.  Pretty easy going.  I always thought they needed 10-12 hours night sleep.

pahokie

I was concerned that DD isn't getting enough sleep.  The sources I could find mostly said 10-13 hours total, including naps.

leffe1

Ditto on 10-13 hours total. I think as long as he is ok than maybe he is getting enough. Mine is an early riser also :-(

vanverth

Married2003:

ateytelb:

Is it 9 h total, including his day time nap? If not, then he should be ok. J. is an early riser too, and he has always been this way.

if you add the couple hours nap he is at about 11 hours.  I guess that's enough because he not a super fuss kid.  Pretty easy going.  I always thought they needed 10-12 hours night sleep.

You are just going to have to face the terrible truth.  Thomas likes to get up with the chickens.  He just does not want to miss anything.  Perhaps he needs a few more toys in his bed to keep him occupied for a little while longer.  Michael wakes up usually between 6 and 7 but is happy to play in the bed until 730 usually.

robynlesley

Aaron usually sleeps for 10 hours -- on rare instances we've had 11 -- from 8/8:30 pm to 6/6:30 am.  He naps for about 2 hours most days. So his average sleep per day is 12 hours (including naps).

I presume it's dark in Thomas's room? If he doesn't have blackout shades, I'd invest in some and see if it's the sunlight that's waking him.  But if he just has an internal clock set to wake early, and you're worried that he's not getting enough sleep, have him go to bed earlier (assuming he will fall asleep earlier) so he has that extra bit of sleep.

aglenn

My DD is the same way.  I'm pretty sure she'd have to be medicated to sleep more than 9 hours (and she still rarely even STTN for the 9ish hours she does sleep).  She naps for an hour and a half to two hours and she's happy and full of energy, so I guess she just doesn't need any more sleep than that.  Mommy, on the other hand....does not feel the same. 

SFAug07

We actually have the opposite problem (if you can call it that). Sarah sleeps for 12 hours at night so she isn't tired for a nap and often skips it. We are now trying to cut her night time sleep to 10.5-11 hours so she can still nap. She is a late sleeper (I know, we are lucky) so we pushed back her bedtime by an hour.

WebMD says toddlers 1-3 years of age need 12-14 hours of sleep including day time and night time.

https://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/sleep-children

NewMrs07

Adrian is an early riser too, and it's not because his room isn't dark enough in the morning b/c the other day I put him to bed super early (7pm instead of his usual 8:30) and he still woke up 10 hrs later at almost 6am and it was pitch dark). If I put him to bed at 8pm he wakes up before 7 and if he goes to bed at 10pm he STILL wakes up before 7. So I try to put him by 8:30 so at least we'll be able to get some decent sleep.

NewMrs07

Oh, and he averages 10 hrs at night and 2 to 3.5 hrs in his afternoon nap. When he's super tired or sick sometimes he'll nap for 4 hrs! We are lucky that he'll still go to bed at night and sleep another 10 hrs, unless he's sick or something.