How Much Sleep Do Kids Really Need?

How much sleep do our kids need? The question is commonly debated by researchers and parents alike. The more, the better I usually say, up to a logical point of course. National guidelines under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend 8.5 hours of sleep for tweens and teens, and at least 10 hours for children ages 5-10.

According to a recent study though:
• Most 16-year-olds scored highest on a standardized test when they had only 7 hours of sleep.
• For 12-year-olds in this study, the optimal number was slightly over 8 hours of sleep.
• For 10-year-olds, it was 9 hours.

Check out an interesting article in Time.com detailing the study. It also discusses “10 risky behaviors more common in sleepy teens” which made me go back to my original the more, the better sleep theory.

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