With the correct 18 month previous sleep schedule, your toddler ought to sleep 10-12 hours at evening and 2-3 hours in the course of the day. Most toddlers this age are taking one nap, sleeping via the evening, and are night-weaned fully. This text will share every little thing you might want to find out about your 18 month previous’s sleep schedule to assist them sleep longer and be happier!
On this article:
How A lot Sleep 18 Month Olds Want
Most 18 month previous toddlers want 13-14 hours of sleep per day together with 10-12 hours at evening and 2-3 hours in the course of the day. At this age, toddlers are sleeping through the night and taking a single 2-3-hour nap.
After all, some toddlers will want roughly than the common quantity of sleep. So, in case your toddler is sleeping roughly than the common in a 24-hour interval, in the event that they’re completely happy, it’s in all probability superb. The easiest way to know in case your toddler is getting sufficient sleep is to look at their temper, their habits, and search for different signs of over-tiredness. Though toddler tantrums are regular, overtired toddlers are likely to have extra of them.
18 Month Previous Sleep Schedule Wake Home windows and Awake Time
Wake home windows for 18 month olds are often 5 to five.5 hours each earlier than and after their nap. In case your toddler is fortunately sleeping with a 5-hour awake time, there isn’t a want to extend it. Nonetheless, in case your toddler takes a nap longer than two hours or is liable to sleeping 11 hours at evening, it might be finest to attempt to get to five.5-hour wake home windows.
How Many Naps Ought to a 18 Month Previous Take?
Nearly all 18 month olds take one nap per day. Most toddlers transition to 1 nap round 15 to 18 months previous. If you’re involved your 18 month previous shouldn’t be prepared for one nap, remember to evaluate the signs it’s time to drop to one nap. And, in case you haven’t executed so already, right here is how to transition to one nap.
In case your 18 month previous toddler is napping for two to three hours every day and sleeping via the evening, it is best to NOT wake them from their nap. Nonetheless, there are a number of conditions that you could be need to get up your toddler from napping too lengthy:
- In case your toddler is waking up too early the following day (e.g. 4 or 5 a.m.), napping for over 2 hours, and sleeping much less than 10 hours at evening: Sure, chances are you’ll need to wake them up from their lengthy nap. Nonetheless, in case your toddler is NOT getting sufficient sleep with their schedule, there might be another excuse they’re waking up too early (see under.) However, in case your toddler is sleeping for 10 or extra hours at evening and waking up too early, you would possibly merely need to shift their schedule forward, as an alternative.
- In case your toddler is awake in the course of the evening for an hour or longer: We name this “child insomnia” or a split night. In case your toddler is taking only one nap, it would imply they’re napping too lengthy in the course of the day. Due to this fact, you would possibly need to wake them from an extended nap. Nonetheless, contemplate whether or not they want a unique schedule as an alternative. Toddlers who go to mattress at 6:00 or 6:30 PM on this age group can usually have a cut up evening as a result of bedtime being too early!
It is a excellent transition to our subsequent part discussing what time an 18 month previous ought to go to mattress!
What Time Ought to a 18 Month Previous Go to Mattress?
The perfect bedtime for an 18 month previous is often between 7:00 and eight:00 PM. Every household has a unique way of life, however in my 15+ years of expertise as a sleep advisor, in case your toddler’s bedtime is earlier than 7:00 PM, this will trigger issues at evening. A “false begin” is when your toddler wakes up quickly after bedtime as if it was a “nap” and it’s generally brought on by a bedtime that’s too early even with the “proper” wake window.
However, if bedtime is previous 8:00 PM, until they’re napping later within the day and waking up later within the morning, your toddler is probably going overtired and that may trigger different sleep issues. There is no such thing as a “proper” or “mistaken” bedtime however it may make an enormous distinction in your toddler’s schedule!
If bedtime is earlier or later than the everyday vary, and sleep is good in your family, there isn’t a want to vary it.
Pattern 18 Month Previous Sleep Schedules
Placing your 18 month previous on the best sleep schedule will usually imply a toddler sleeping via the evening and napping longer in the course of the day. Use these pattern schedules that can assist you discover the best one on your distinctive scenario.
Pattern 1-Nap Sleep Schedule
In my 15+ years of expertise as a sleep advisor, most 18 month olds are on a 1-nap schedule by now. There are only a few who’re nonetheless taking two naps or, if they’re, they’re having different sleep issues similar to night-waking or early-waking.
In case your toddler has a 5-hour wake window, their schedule will probably be very related, if not similar, to our 16 month old sleep schedule or 17 month old sleep schedule. Due to this fact, this pattern schedule will probably be for toddlers who’re lengthening their wake home windows.
Here’s a pattern sleep schedule with a 5-hour wake window within the morning and a 5.5-hour wake window within the night:
Time | Wake Window | Exercise | Sleep Size |
7:00 AM | Wake* | ||
12:00 PM | 5 Hours | Nap | 2 to 2.5 hours |
8:00 PM | 5.5 Hours | Bedtime (Asleep by this time) |
11-12 hours |
* Ought to You Wake Your Toddler Up Within the Morning? We don’t often need to get up 18 month olds within the morning however it may assist if you need time to your self within the night. Waking up your toddler inside the similar 30-minute window within the morning (e.g. 7:00 to 7:30 AM) can preserve your schedule extra constant.
Pattern 1-Nap Sleep Schedule With Meals
Once more, many purchasers need to know match meals in to arrange their toddler for achievement in sleeping via the evening and taking lengthy naps. Right here’s a typical 1-nap schedule with a 5 to five.5-hour wake home windows and meals:
Time | Wake Window | Exercise | Sleep Size |
7:00 AM | Wake* | ||
7:30 AM | Breakfast + Milk | ||
9:30 AM | Snack + Milk | ||
11:30 AM | Lunch + Milk | ||
12:00 PM | 5 Hours | Nap | 2 to 2.5 hours |
3:30 PM | Huge Snack + Milk (Second Lunch) |
||
5:30 PM | Small Snack (if needed) |
||
6:30 PM | Dinner + Milk | ||
8:00 PM | 5.5 Hours | Bedtime (Asleep by this time) |
11 to 12 hours |
* Ought to You Wake Your Toddler Up Within the Morning? We don’t often need to get up 18 month olds within the morning however it may assist if you need time to your self within the night. Waking up your toddler inside the similar 30-minute window within the morning (e.g. 7:00 to 7:30 AM) can preserve your schedule extra constant.
Obtain the pattern schedule under by clicking on it after which right-clicking:

Pattern Toddler Schedules By Month For All Ages
Do you know we’ve got pattern toddler schedules by month for all ages? Test it out!
Why Some 18 Month Olds Wake Up Too Early
Most 18 month olds get up between 6:00 and seven:30 AM. In case your toddler is waking up “too early” (no matter meaning to you), listed here are the most typical causes:
- Overtiredness at Bedtime – The #1 cause for a toddler waking up too early within the morning is because of being overtired at bedtime. If it is a chance, merely shorten the wake window proper earlier than bedtime.
- Starvation – Providing dinner too early (e.g. 4:30 or 5:00 PM), is a typical cause for waking up too early, too. Ideally, dinner will probably be no sooner than 6:00 PM, if attainable, however yours would possibly have to be later. Whereas some toddlers can go 13 hours with out consuming, some toddlers merely can’t.
- Dawn – We are supposed to rise with the solar and fall asleep with the sundown. Unnatural gentle has made all of our bedtimes later than pure. Kids who’re delicate to gentle may get up too early when the solar begins to shine via their home windows. Contemplate room-darkening shades, blinds, or curtains.
- Schedule Change – If you’re nonetheless giving your 18 month previous two naps, it’s time to drop one.
Though there are a number of different causes your toddler might be waking up too early, these are the most typical culprits.
Why Some 18 Month Olds Wake Up at Night time and Can You Do Sleep Coaching?
The #1 cause for 18 month olds waking up at evening is as a result of 18 month sleep regression! Throughout this time, separation nervousness peaks, and plenty of toddlers will begin to battle naps and bedtime. Schedules can get off-course and tantrums can improve. As well as, many 18 month olds begin waking up at evening once more from starvation. Sure, starvation! Nonetheless, that does NOT imply it is best to feed them at evening. It means one thing is mistaken together with your schedule and that’s why I embody pattern schedules with meals above.
There are different causes that might be inflicting your toddler to get up at evening. When you can do sleep training, that does NOT repair each trigger. You should definitely clear up the proper drawback and take a look at our article Top 15 Reasons Your Baby Is Waking at Night.
18 Month Previous Sleep Schedule FAQ
An 18 month previous ought to nap for two to three hours complete every single day.
18 month olds take one nap a day.
18 month olds sleep for two to three hours in the course of the day.
Wake home windows for 18 month olds are often 5 to five.5 hours. Many toddlers could have an extended wake window earlier than bedtime than earlier than their nap.
The perfect bedtime for an 18 month previous is often between 7:00 to eight:00 PM. A bedtime that’s too early may cause false begins, waking up at evening, and waking up too early the following day. A bedtime that’s too late may cause night-waking and early-waking issues.
The probably cause your 18 month previous is waking up crying each evening is a sleep regression, starvation, or that bedtime is simply too late. The simplest factor to attempt first is to maneuver bedtime earlier by 20-Half-hour to see if it improves. If that doesn’t assist, nighttime starvation generally creeps again into the image at this age. Ensure your toddler is consuming three stable meals, 2-3 snacks, and consuming not less than 16-20 oz of milk with not less than 8 grams of protein in it.
Some dad and mom will transfer their 18 month previous to a toddler mattress or Montessori mattress. Nonetheless, the common age to transition from crib to toddler mattress is 3 to 4 years previous. Shifting to a mattress too early can have disastrous outcomes relying on the scenario! You should definitely learn When and How to Transition from Crib to Toddler Bed.
Sure! The 18 month old sleep regression is a quite common hassle spot that lasts 3 to six weeks, on common.
The #1 cause for 18 month olds waking up at evening is as a result of 18 month sleep regression! Throughout this time, separation nervousness peaks, and plenty of toddlers will begin to battle naps and bedtime. Schedules can get off-course and tantrums can improve. As well as, many 18 month olds begin waking up at evening once more from starvation. Sure, starvation! Nonetheless, that does NOT imply it is best to feed them at evening. It means one thing is mistaken together with your schedule and that’s why I embody pattern schedules with meals above.
There are different causes that might be inflicting your toddler to get up at evening. When you can do sleep training, that does NOT repair each trigger. You should definitely clear up the proper drawback and take a look at our article Top 15 Reasons Your Baby Is Waking at Night.
Toddlers ought to drink 16-20 oz of milk per day till they’re 5 years previous in accordance with the American Academy of Pediatrics. Though cow’s milk is the most typical, there are lots of choices these days. The kind of milk you supply ought to have a minimal of 8 grams of protein per serving. So, watch out about milk substitutes and the quantity of sugar.
Typically, it is best to NOT want to offer your baby beneath 3 years previous melatonin. As an alternative, please merely put them on the proper schedule! If you happen to aren’t positive what the issue is, remember to attain out to get assist.
Sure, most 18 month olds nonetheless have to take a nap and it IS too early to cease napping. There isn’t a set age for youngsters to cease napping, nevertheless, most toddlers have to take not less than one nap till 3 to 4 years previous, on common.
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