A recent 2025 study links reduced slow-wave sleep with increased risk of short stature in children, emphasising the importance of adequate sleep for physical development alongside nutrition and lifestyle factors.
Sleep is more than downtime for children: it is a key period for physical repair and growth. Media Indonesia reported that poor sleep habits and sleeping for too short a time can interfere with the body’s development, partly because growth hormone is released most strongly during deep sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep. But height is shaped by more than rest alone. Genetics, nutrition, overall health and the environment also play important roles.
A 2025 study involving 2,527 children found a link between reduced slow-wave sleep and a greater risk of short stature, according to the report. Children with the smallest share of deep sleep were more likely to show signs of slowed growth than those who slept better. Even so, experts caution that the evidence does not yet prove lack of sleep is the sole cause of stunted height. It should be treated as one health risk among several, not the only explanation.
Public health guidance from the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development gives similar sleep targets by age. Infants aged 4 to 12 months need 12 to 16 hours a day, including naps. Toddlers aged 1 to 2 years need 11 to 14 hours, preschoolers aged 3 to 5 years need 10 to 13 hours, school-age children aged 6 to 12 years need 9 to 12 hours and teenagers aged 13 to 18 years need 8 to 10 hours.
Specialists advise parents to keep bedtimes and wake-up times consistent, limit screen use before sleep and watch for warning signs such as loud snoring, repeated waking or a marked slowdown in growth. Media Indonesia also said healthy sleep should go hand in hand with balanced nutrition and regular physical activity.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
