This is how much sleep your baby or child should be getting every night, according to pediatric specialists

A young child lies asleep on his side in bed while cuddling a white fluffy teddy bear.

As an adult, enjoying a good night’s sleep helps your body to rest and recover, it strengthens your immune system, helps your brain to process your experiences and what you’ve learned that day, and form new memories. When you’ve slept well, you also feel more energised and focused.

But for babies and children, more sleep is needed as it plays a fundamental role in helping to shape their brain and memory development. Sleep is also vital to help with infant and child growth. But similar to adults, babies and children can differ in how much sleep they need, and how well they rest.