Solving common children’s sleep issues: A parent’s guide
28 January 2026|Written by: Dream Chronicler
Every parent knows the drill. The sun goes down, and suddenly your toddler becomes a hyperactive night owl or your school aged child starts negotiating for “just five more minutes.” Sleep troubles in children are incredibly common, but they can take a toll on the whole family’s wellbeing.
Quality sleep is essential for your child’s growth, learning, and emotional development. According to the CDC, school aged children need between 9 and 12 hours of sleep per 24 hour period, while teenagers require 8 to 10 hours. Yet many kids struggle to get the rest they need.
The good news? Most childhood sleep problems can be solved with the right approach. This guide will walk you through the most common issues and provide practical, evidence based solutions to help your child (and you) get the sleep everyone needs.
Understanding how much sleep your child needs
Before tackling sleep problems, it’s important to know what “enough sleep” actually means for your child’s age. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine provides these guidelines:
- Infants (4 to 12 months): 12 to 16 hours, including naps
- Toddlers (1 to 2 years): 11 to 14 hours, including naps
- Preschoolers (3 to 5 years): 10 to 13 hours, including naps
- School aged children (6 to 12 years): 9 to 12 hours
- Teenagers (13 to 18 years): 8 to 10 hours
Getting adequate sleep helps children with attention, behaviour, learning, memory, and emotional regulation. Research shows that insufficient sleep is linked to injuries, high blood pressure, obesity, and mental health issues including depression.
Bedtime resistance: When kids won’t go to sleep
One of the most frustrating challenges parents face is the nightly battle to get children into bed. Your child might suddenly need water, have to go to the toilet again, or insist they’re “not even tired.”
Why it happens
Bedtime resistance can stem from several causes: fear of missing out (especially if older siblings are still awake), anxiety about separating from parents, overtiredness (which paradoxically makes it harder to settle), or simply not having a consistent routine.
What you can do
Create a predictable bedtime routine. Children thrive on consistency. Establish a calming sequence of events that happens at the same time every night. For preschoolers, this might include a bath, brushing teeth, putting on pyjamas, and reading a story together. The routine should take 20 to 30 minutes and avoid anything stimulating like screens or active play.
Set clear boundaries. Once you’ve said goodnight and left the room, resist the urge to return every time your child calls out. If your child is safe and their needs are met, give them the time and space to settle themselves. If they get out of bed, calmly guide them back without engaging in conversation or negotiation.
Make bedtime the same time every night. A regular sleep schedule helps regulate your child’s internal clock, making it easier for them to fall asleep naturally.
Address underlying fears. If your child expresses anxiety about the dark or being alone, acknowledge their feelings. A small nightlight or leaving the door slightly ajar can provide reassurance without disrupting sleep.
Night wakings: helping your child sleep through
It’s normal for children to wake briefly during the night, but some struggle to get back to sleep on their own. This can lead to disrupted sleep for the entire household.
The sleep cycle connection
Understanding sleep cycles helps explain why this happens. During the night, we all move through different stages of sleep, and it’s natural to briefly wake between cycles. Children who haven’t learned to self soothe may call out for a parent during these moments.
Strategies for better sleep
Encourage self settling from the start. When putting your child to bed, leave while they’re drowsy but still awake. This teaches them to fall asleep independently, which is the same skill they’ll need when they wake during the night.
Keep night interactions minimal. If your child wakes and calls for you, check that they’re safe and comfortable, but keep your response brief and boring. No lights, no conversation, no engaging activities.
Rule out physical causes. Frequent night waking can sometimes signal an underlying issue like sleep apnea, reflux, or discomfort. If the problem persists despite good sleep habits, consult your GP.
Nightmares and night terrors: Understanding the difference
Both nightmares and night terrors can be distressing, but they’re actually quite different experiences that require different responses.
Nightmares
Nightmares are scary dreams that happen during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, usually in the second half of the night. Your child will wake up, remember the dream, and feel frightened. They can tell you what scared them and will seek comfort from you.
How to help: Stay calm and reassure your child that the nightmare wasn’t real. Offer comfort through a hug, soothing words, or their favourite stuffed toy. You might need to check under the bed or in the cupboard to reassure them that everything’s safe. The next day, talking about the dream or even drawing it can help reduce its power.
To prevent nightmares, avoid scary movies or stories before bed, maintain a regular sleep schedule, and help your child manage any stress or worries they might be experiencing.
Night Terrors
Night terrors happen during deep non REM sleep, typically 2 to 3 hours after falling asleep. During an episode, your child might sit up, scream, thrash around, or seem terrified, but they’re not actually awake. Their eyes may be open, but they won’t recognise you or respond to comfort. Most importantly, they won’t remember the episode in the morning.
How to help: Don’t try to wake your child during a night terror. Instead, sit quietly nearby and make sure they don’t hurt themselves. The episode will typically end on its own within a few minutes, and your child will go back to sleep.
Night terrors are often triggered by overtiredness, stress, or irregular sleep schedules. Ensuring your child gets enough sleep and maintaining a consistent bedtime can help prevent them. If night terrors happen around the same time each night, you can try gently waking your child 15 to 30 minutes beforehand.
When to see a doctor: If night terrors last longer than 30 minutes, happen more than once a week, or are accompanied by drooling, stiffening, or jerking movements, consult your child’s healthcare provider.
Sleepwalking: Keeping your child safe
Sleepwalking affects up to 15% of children and is most common between ages 4 and 12. During an episode, your child might sit up, walk around, or perform other activities while still asleep.
Safety first
The main concern with sleepwalking is safety. Children who sleepwalk aren’t aware of their surroundings and could potentially hurt themselves.
Create a safe environment:
- Lock windows and doors in your child’s bedroom and throughout your home
- Install safety gates at the top of stairs
- Remove obstacles and sharp objects from your child’s room
- Don’t let your sleepwalker use a top bunk bed
- Keep keys out of reach if your teen drives
During an episode: Don’t try to wake your sleepwalking child, as this can be disorienting and frightening. Instead, gently guide them back to bed with minimal interaction.
Prevention strategies: Maintain a regular sleep schedule, ensure your child gets enough sleep, and address any sources of stress. Overtiredness is a common trigger for sleepwalking episodes.
Most children naturally outgrow sleepwalking as their sleep patterns mature. However, if episodes are frequent, dangerous, or persist into the teenage years, talk to your doctor about possible treatments.
Sleep apnea: When snoring is a red flag
While occasional snoring is common, loud and frequent snoring can signal obstructive sleep apnea, a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. This affects approximately 15 to 20% of children.
Warning signs
Watch for these symptoms:
During sleep:
- Loud, persistent snoring
- Gasping or choking sounds
- Pauses in breathing
- Restless sleep
- Mouth breathing
During the day:
- Excessive sleepiness or fatigue
- Trouble paying attention at school
- Behavioural problems or hyperactivity
- Bedwetting
- Morning headaches
Why it matters
Untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious health consequences including impaired growth, high blood pressure, learning difficulties, and increased risk of heart problems. The condition is often caused by enlarged tonsils or adenoids, obesity, or certain medical conditions like Down syndrome.
Getting help
If you suspect your child has sleep apnea, see your GP. Diagnosis typically requires a sleep study, and treatment might include removing tonsils and adenoids, using a CPAP machine, weight management strategies, or other interventions depending on the underlying cause.
Managing melatonin: What parents should know
With rising awareness of children’s sleep struggles, many parents are turning to melatonin supplements. However, it’s crucial to understand both the benefits and limitations of this approach.
Important safety information
Melatonin is not a sleeping pill. It’s a hormone that signals the body it’s time to sleep, but it won’t knock your child out. More concerning, melatonin supplements aren’t regulated by the FDA, meaning the actual contents and dosages can vary significantly from what’s listed on the label.
From 2012 to 2021, there were over 260,000 reports of melatonin poisoning in children. While most cases resulted in no serious symptoms, some children required hospital care. Always store melatonin and all supplements safely out of children’s reach.
When it might help
Melatonin may be appropriate as a short term solution while you establish better sleep habits. It can also help reset sleep schedules after holidays or help teenagers whose natural sleep cycles make early morning wake ups difficult. For children with ADHD or autism, melatonin may offer benefits, but this should be carefully monitored by a paediatrician.
Dosing guidelines
If you and your child’s doctor decide to try melatonin:
- Start with the lowest dose (0.5 to 1 mg)
- Give it 30 to 90 minutes before bedtime
- Most children who benefit don’t need more than 3 to 6 mg
- Remember that melatonin should supplement, not replace, a good bedtime routine
Long term safety data in children is limited, particularly regarding effects on growth and development during puberty. Always consult your child’s healthcare provider before starting melatonin.
The screen time connection
One of the biggest sleep disruptors for modern children is screen exposure before bed. Blue light from tablets, smartphones, and computers tricks the brain into thinking it’s daytime, suppressing natural melatonin production and making it harder to fall asleep.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends avoiding screen time for at least one hour before bed. This includes television, video games, and social media. Using devices past bedtime, especially for violent games or shows, can further interfere with sleep quality.
Creating a sleep friendly environment
Your child’s bedroom setup plays a significant role in sleep quality. Here’s how to optimise it:
Temperature and light: Keep the room cool (around 18°C) and dark. Blackout curtains can help, as can a dim nightlight if your child prefers one.
Comfort matters: Ensure your child’s mattress provides proper support. Young children are lighter than adults, so a mattress that feels soft to you might be just right for them. The Dreamland Liverpool, for example, offers two layers of comfort in pocket spring construction, available in single and king single sizes perfect for growing kids.
Minimise disruptions: Keep the bedroom quiet and remove potential distractions like toys or screens that might tempt your child out of bed.
When to seek professional help
While most sleep problems resolve with consistency and the strategies outlined above, some situations warrant professional evaluation:
- Sleep issues that persist despite good sleep hygiene
- Loud snoring with pauses in breathing
- Excessive daytime sleepiness affecting school performance
- Sleep problems accompanied by mood changes or behavioural issues
- Bed wetting that continues beyond age 5
- Night terrors lasting longer than 30 minutes or happening very frequently
- Symptoms of depression or anxiety
Your GP can help identify any underlying medical issues and refer you to a sleep specialist if needed.
Your path to better sleep starts tonight
Solving your child’s sleep problems won’t happen overnight, but consistency is key. Pick one or two strategies that feel most relevant to your situation and commit to them for at least two weeks before expecting results.
Remember: establishing healthy sleep habits is one of the most valuable gifts you can give your child. The benefits extend far beyond bedtime, supporting their growth, learning, emotional wellbeing, and overall health for years to come.
Start with a consistent bedtime routine, optimise their sleep environment, and be patient with the process. With time and persistence, both you and your child will be sleeping better.
