verb (used with or without object), bifurcated, bifurcating. 1. to divide or fork into two branches. adjective. 2. divided into two branches.
Advertisement. By the Numbers. According to the National Sleep Foundation, newborns should sleep 12 to 18 hours out of every 24 (every new parent hopes), with a gradual reduction to 12 to 14 hours for toddlers ages 1 to 3; 11 to 13 hours for preschoolers 3 to 5; and (yes!) 10 to 11 hours for schoolchildren ages 5 to 10.
School-aged children (6-12 years of age) average approximately 10-11 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. Research studies suggest that adolescents generally require about 9-9.25 hours of sleep per night ; however, many are getting less than 8 hours of sleep per school night.