For how much sleep kids need, I go by Canada's 24-Hour Movement Guidelines: 9 to 11 hours a night for children aged 5 to 13. For teens of 14 to 17 they give 8 to 10 hours, and toddlers and preschoolers get more, naps included. A child's sleep need is the amount of sleep in a 24-hour day that the guidelines tie to healthy growth, learning and mood at that age.
I work the floor at Merit Home Furniture's Duncan store on Vancouver Island. I sell beds, not medical advice, so every health point here comes from a named Canadian authority.
How much sleep do kids need at each age?
Sleep need by age in Canada comes from guidelines by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP), developed with the Public Health Agency of Canada and others. Under age 5, the hours cover the whole day and include naps. From 5 on, they're counted per night.
| Age | Sleep in CSEP's guidelines |
|---|---|
| Birth to 3 months | 14 to 17 hours of good-quality sleep, naps included |
| 4 to 11 months | 12 to 16 hours across the day and night |
| Toddlers, 1 and 2 | 11 to 14 hours including naps, at regular bedtimes and wake-up times |
| Preschoolers, 3 and 4 | 10 to 13 hours, which can include one nap |
| Children, 5 to 13 | Uninterrupted sleep each night, 9 to 11 hours |
| Teens, 14 to 17 | Uninterrupted sleep each night, 8 to 10 hours |
The Canadian Paediatric Society's parent site, Caring for Kids, prints a chart from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine with the ages cut differently. It gives children of 6 to 12 years 9 to 12 hours, an hour more at the top than CSEP. Teenagers of 13 to 18 get 8 to 10 hours, and the CPS calls the chart a general guide.
How many hours of sleep does a 13 year old need?
A 13 year old needs 9 to 11 hours a night by CSEP's guideline, because its children's band runs through 13. The CPS chart puts 13 in its teenage band, at 8 to 10 hours. The two overlap at 9 to 10 hours.
Baby sleep: newborns, naps and longer nights
Baby sleep starts in short pieces. The CPS says newborns may sleep as much as 18 hours a day, for 3 to 4 hours at a time. Night feeds are normal. HealthLink BC puts the early weeks at about 16 hours a day, and calls murmuring and restlessness every 50 to 60 minutes a normal part of a baby's sleep cycle.
Some time after 3 months, the CPS says, sleep gets more predictable. By 4 months most babies need three naps a day, and between 6 and 12 months that usually drops to two longer ones. How long each nap should run also changes as a child grows. Babies of 4 to 12 months average 14 hours a day, though more or less can be normal.
What helps babies sleep through the night?
The CPS and HealthLink BC tips come down to steady cues and a calm night. Lay the baby down drowsy but awake, on their back, in the crib. Keep night feeds dim and quiet, and give a stirring baby a few minutes to settle. Keep the daytime naps: an overtired baby has more trouble sleeping. From about 4 months, the CPS says many parents use the "3 Bs": bath, book, bed. And never put a baby to bed with a bottle, which the CPS links to choking and tooth decay.
When do babies sleep 7pm to 7am?
None of the Canadian sources we checked names an age for a 12-hour night. The CPS describes longer night stretches arriving gradually. A 1-month-old is still in the newborn pattern of 3 to 4 hours at a time, so the schedule is the baby's own.
Safe sleep for babies: on the back, in a crib, in your room
Safe sleep for babies starts with one rule in the Public Health Agency of Canada's booklet: place the baby on their back for every sleep. Even babies who spit up a lot are safer sleeping on their backs, it says. The safest place is a crib, cradle or bassinet that meets current Canadian safety regulations. PHAC recommends room sharing for the first 6 months, with the crib in the room where you sleep.
The sleep space should be bare: a firm, flat mattress, a tightly fitted sheet and no gaps at the sides. PHAC rules out blankets, pillows, bumper pads, mattress toppers and toys. HealthLink BC wants a crib mattress no thicker than 15 cm and crib bars less than 6 cm apart. PHAC passes on Health Canada's advice of a crib no more than 10 years old, never one made before September 1986, and never a drop-side crib.
On bed sharing, PHAC says it increases a baby's risk of SIDS and suffocation, and says sofas, armchairs, air mattresses and adult beds aren't made for babies to sleep on. A bed with a mattress topper is on its list of especially risky situations. HealthLink BC's file sets out ways to lower the risk for families who bed share anyway.
Merit doesn't list cribs, cradles or bassinets, so I can't point you to one. By these rules, none of our adult mattresses or toppers belongs in a baby's sleep space.
Bedtime routines that help kids sleep
A bedtime routine is the same short run of quiet steps every night, in the same order, so a child knows sleep comes next. HealthLink BC suggests 15 to 30 minutes of reading together, cuddling or soft music before lights out. Children with consistent, regular bedtimes, its page says, are less likely to have behaviour problems.
- The same times every day. CSEP asks for consistent bed and wake-up times from age 1 right through 17.
- Screens off an hour before. The CPS says no screens for 1 hour before sleep.
- No caffeine. The CPS names pop and chocolate, and HealthLink BC tells teens to avoid caffeine after 3 p.m.
- A quiet, dark, cool room. Those are HealthLink BC's words, with TVs and computers kept out of it.
- Limits agreed ahead. For a preschooler who stalls, the CPS suggests settling how many books you'll read, then sticking to it.
Melatonin isn't on that list. Since June 2, 2026, Health Canada's Prescription Drug List covers melatonin sold for sleep in children and teens under 18. At those ages it's a prescription drug, so whether it suits a child is a question for their doctor. Essential oils come up too, and the safety rules for oils around children are worth reading first.
Sleep over the holidays and back to school
Holiday sleep slips with late evenings and travel, and the guidelines' answer is the same steady bed and wake-up times. For a teen who has drifted late, HealthLink BC's method is to go to bed 15 minutes earlier each night until the right bedtime is reached. Four nights at that pace move bedtime an hour.
Do Canadian kids get enough sleep? Screens, benefits and warning signs
Most Canadian children meet the sleep guideline, and teenagers less often. A Statistics Canada Health Reports study by Felix Bang and colleagues (2020) pooled 4,250 children and youth from the Canadian Health Measures Survey, 2009 to 2015.
| Guideline met | Ages 5 to 11 | Ages 12 to 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep hours | 84.0% | 64.7% |
| Recreational screens, 2 hours or less | 32.6% | 24.7% |
| Sleep, screens and activity together | 13.9% | 4.8% |
Among the youth, meeting the sleep guideline went with higher odds of reporting no stress, an odds ratio of 1.96. That's an association, and it can't show which way cause runs.
CSEP caps recreational screen time at no more than 2 hours a day from 5 to 17. CSEP, the CPS and HealthLink BC each say to keep screens out of the bedroom.
The benefits of enough sleep, in HealthLink BC's words, are that it helps a child grow, form memories and learn. Too little, over time, can bring behaviour problems and trouble learning, and a moody, sad or angry child.
Nightmares, night terrors and the monster under the bed
Nightmares are very common in preschool and school-age children, according to HealthLink BC. The CPS says they can follow a stressful event or a fever. Its advice is to talk calmly, cuddle and reassure, and not to "search for monsters", telling the child that monsters aren't real. HealthLink BC adds steering clear of scary stories.
A nightmare
Comes later in the night. The child wakes and can usually be calmed. They tend to remember it in the morning.
A night terror
Comes early in the night, out of deep sleep. The child may scream and thrash, may not recognise you, and won't remember it. HealthLink BC says not to try to wake them, and to stay calm.
The CPS says night terrors usually happen between the ages of 4 and 12, though they can start as young as 18 months, and most children outgrow them. For sleepwalking, HealthLink BC suggests leading the child back to bed without waking them, locking doors and windows, and a gate at the top of the stairs. A top bunk is a long way up for a child who walks in their sleep, and I'd raise that with the doctor before buying one.
Bedwetting in kids: what's normal, and when to see a doctor
Bedwetting is a child peeing in their sleep without knowing it. The Canadian Paediatric Society says most children, though not all, stop between 5 and 6 years old. It's most often tied to deep sleep, when the bladder is full and the child doesn't wake.
| Age | Share still wetting the bed, per the CPS |
|---|---|
| 5 years | 15% |
| 10 years | 5% |
| 15 years, without treatment | about 2% |
It runs in families. A child with one parent who wet the bed is 25% more likely to, the CPS says, and with two such parents the figure is about 65%. The CPS says to see a health care provider if the child is upset by it or has daytime accidents. The same goes for wetting after many dry months, burning when peeing, or wetting past 5 to 6. It also says never to punish a child for it.
For the mattress, the CPS suggests a hospital-strength plastic cover. The Health Guard Premium Terry protector listed for Merit's Duncan store is waterproof under a terry top, at $49.00 in twin before applicable taxes. It protects the mattress, nothing more. Protectors aren't shipped: they're picked up free at Duncan or added to a delivery. Our guide on which protector does which job compares the types.
Snoring and sleep apnea in children: signs to take to a doctor
Snoring in a child deserves a doctor's attention when it's loud and regular. The CPS says a child who regularly snores loudly, or seems to stop breathing briefly and then gasps, may have a problem. HealthLink BC says children with sleep apnea nearly always snore, though they may not seem very sleepy in the day.
HealthLink BC's other signs include mouth breathing, sweating and waking a lot in younger children. Older ones may wet the bed or struggle at school. It says enlarged tonsils are a frequent cause of snoring in children. Adults snore for other reasons, set out in home steps for a snoring adult. No mattress or pillow treats any of this, and the advice below comes before anything else in this guide.
| What to do | When, and on whose advice |
|---|---|
| Call 9-1-1 | Any emergency. HealthLink BC's instruction is to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number immediately. |
| Call the doctor | The child snores, has trouble breathing asleep, sleeps restlessly, wakes often or is very sleepy by day (HealthLink BC). |
| Talk to the doctor | Night terrors that persist, sleepwalking that continues, or trouble falling asleep with no clear cause (CPS). |
For help deciding, 8-1-1 is HealthLink BC's toll-free line anywhere in the province, with 7-1-1 for the deaf and hard of hearing. It can put you through to a health professional such as a registered nurse.
Bunk beds and twin mattresses: Health Canada's rules and Merit's listings
Bunk beds suit children over the age of six, Health Canada's bunk bed page says. Falls are the most common cause of injury. Its rule: No children under 6 on the top bunk at any time, and one person up there at once. Its checklist also asks for:
- certification to a standard such as ASTM International F1427;
- guardrails on all 4 sides of the top bunk, even against a wall;
- guardrail tops at least 12.7 centimetres (5 inches) above the top of the mattress;
- nothing tied to the bed, since cords and scarves can strangle.
Five bunk beds on Merit's listings name the Duncan store, all from Ashley. These are the listed prices on November 1, 2026, before applicable taxes.
| Bunk bed | Build, listed stores, price |
|---|---|
| Ashley Halanton twin over full | Dark brown solid wood with a storage drawer; Duncan; $1,199.00 |
| Ashley Halanton convertible | Two twins that can be set up apart; Duncan and Port Alberni; $818.00 |
| Ashley Robbinsdale | Two twins in an antique white wood finish; Duncan and Port Alberni; $819.00 |
| Ashley Dinsmore | Black and grey metal, upper bunk 47.5 in off the floor; Duncan and Campbell River; $840.00 |
| Ashley Lanceburg | Grey steel, 65 inches tall, splits into two twins; Duncan and Port Alberni; $843.00 |
The mattress is where the 5-inch guardrail rule bites. The twins listed for Duncan are Restwell, Restonic and Natura beds, from the 11-inch Natura Majestic latex bed up to 16-inch Restonic euro tops. So the bunk's label, with its suggested mattress thickness, comes before the mattress choice.
| Twin mattress for Duncan | Feel, height, twin price |
|---|---|
| Restonic Minto | Sleeps firm, euro top, 12.5 in tall, $698.00 |
| Restonic Prestige | Sleeps plush, euro top, 13 in tall, $748.00 |
| Restwell Robin | Plush euro top over pocket coils, 38 by 74 in, $799.00 |
| Natura Green Spring Serene | Latex and wool over wrapped coils, 14 in tall, $1,649.00 |
A thinner twin, the 10-inch Restonic Brookwell, is listed for our Port Alberni store, where a call gets our best price. How a twin differs from a twin XL is in our twin and twin XL comparison, and the feel labels are explained in the guide to firm, medium and plush.
For a single bed, Mako Wood Furniture's Youth collection is listed for Duncan, and the Province of BC calls Mako a furniture producer in Surrey. The twin Captain's bed, with four drawers a side, is $999.00, and the Slide Bed with Trundle is $1,249.00.
For the dresser, Health Canada's tip-over page says children may climb open drawers like a ladder. It wants anti-tip devices such as angle braces or safety straps, fixed to a wall stud or heavy-duty drywall anchors. The Mako Youth 6-drawer dresser listed for Duncan is $799.00. I'd anchor any dresser in a child's room, and it's worth asking us whether a piece comes with the hardware. Sizes are in how to choose a dresser.
Before a bunk bed, I'd measure two things at home: the ceiling height, and the age of the youngest child who'll sleep in that room. The Lanceburg is 65 inches tall, so a child sitting up top needs real headroom under a low ceiling. If the youngest is under 6, I'd look at two twins instead.
Where kids' sleep numbers and kids' beds fall short
The sleep numbers are ranges for healthy children, and the two Canadian charts differ by an hour at the top for school-age kids. CSEP says a child with a disability or medical condition should have a health professional's guidance as well.
No mattress, pillow or protector treats bedwetting, night terrors or sleep apnea, and Merit makes no such claim for anything we sell. Our listings have gaps too. None of the five Duncan bunk listings states ASTM F1427 certification, so ask us to check with the maker. Ashley lists a 1-year warranty on the Robbinsdale and the Lanceburg.
Sources for the kids' sleep figures
- Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years (0-4 years), checked November 2026.
- Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth (5-17 years), checked November 2026.
- Canadian Paediatric Society, Caring for Kids, Healthy sleep for your baby and child (last updated November 2024), checked November 2026.
- Canadian Paediatric Society, Caring for Kids, Bedwetting (last updated December 2022), checked November 2026.
- Public Health Agency of Canada, Safe Sleep for Your Baby (published October 8, 2021), checked November 2026.
- HealthLink BC, HealthLinkBC File 107, Safer sleeping for babies (last updated October 24, 2025), checked November 2026.
- HealthLink BC, Sleep: Helping Your Children and Yourself Sleep Well (current as of November 7, 2022), checked November 2026.
- HealthLink BC, Nightmares and Other Sleep Problems in Children (current as of March 1, 2023), checked November 2026.
- HealthLink BC, Sleep Apnea, symptoms in children and when to call a doctor (current as of November 7, 2022), checked November 2026.
- HealthLink BC, Snoring (current as of March 1, 2023), checked November 2026.
- Bang F, Roberts KC, Chaput JP, Goldfield GS and Prince SA, Physical activity, screen time and sleep duration, Statistics Canada Health Reports (July 2, 2020), checked November 2026.
- Health Canada, Bunk bed and loft bed safety (page dated May 11, 2026), checked November 2026.
- Health Canada, Furniture, appliance and television tip-overs (page dated January 24, 2025), checked November 2026.
- Health Canada, Prescription Drug List change for melatonin in children and adolescents under 18 (published June 2, 2026), checked November 2026.
- Merit Home Furniture's bunk bed, Mako Youth, twin mattress and mattress protector listings, with prices and listed stores, read November 1, 2026. Also the Duncan store's delivery terms.
Kids' beds and twin mattresses at Merit Duncan
The Duncan store is at 107 Ingram Street, open Monday to Saturday, 9 to 5. The Halanton twin over full is listed as on display there, so a call ahead tells you what's set up. The store keeps a strict no-pressure policy, and taking the measurements home to talk over is fine.
Delivery from Merit's Duncan store costs $150 across the Island with setup and assembly. Pickup at Duncan is free, and old furniture can be taken away at delivery, usually $25 to $50 a piece. Some Gulf Islands can be reached too; the Duncan store has the details. Port Alberni and Campbell River set their own delivery terms.
Call the Duncan store, (250) 746-5527
More on beds, sizes and makers is on the Island mattress guides page. Merit's bunk bed listings, kids furniture and twin mattresses each sit in their own collection.