

With the correct 18 month previous sleep schedule, your toddler ought to sleep 10-12 hours at evening and 2-3 hours through the day. Most toddlers this age are taking one nap, sleeping via the evening, and are night-weaned utterly. This text will share every thing you’ll 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 through the day. At this age, toddlers are sleeping via the evening 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 pleased, it’s in all probability wonderful. One of the best ways to know in case your toddler is getting sufficient sleep is to watch their temper, their habits, and search for different indicators of over-tiredness. Though toddler tantrums are regular, overtired toddlers are likely to have extra of them.
18 Month Outdated Sleep Schedule Wake Home windows and Awake Time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. Nevertheless, in case your toddler takes a nap longer than two hours or is liable to sleeping 11 hours at evening, it may very well be finest to attempt to get to five.5-hour wake home windows.
How Many Naps Ought to a 18 Month Outdated Take?
Virtually all 18 month olds take one nap per day. Most toddlers transition to at least one nap round 15 to 18 months previous. If you’re involved your 18 month previous will not be prepared for one nap, make sure to overview the indicators it’s time to drop to at least one nap. And, in the event you haven’t executed so already, right here is the right way to transition to at least one nap.
In case your 18 month previous toddler is napping for two to three hours every day and sleeping via the evening, you need to NOT wake them from their nap. Nevertheless, there are just a few conditions that you could be wish to get up your toddler from napping too lengthy:
- In case your toddler is waking up too early the subsequent 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 wish to wake them up from their lengthy nap. Nevertheless, in case your toddler is NOT getting sufficient sleep with their schedule, there may very well be one more reason they’re waking up too early (see under.) Then again, in case your toddler is sleeping for 10 or extra hours at evening and waking up too early, you may merely wish to shift their schedule ahead, as a substitute.
- In case your toddler is awake in the course of the evening for an hour or longer: We name this “child insomnia” or a cut up evening. In case your toddler is taking only one nap, it would imply they’re napping too lengthy through the day. Subsequently, you may wish to wake them from an extended nap. Nevertheless, contemplate whether or not they want a special schedule as a substitute. Toddlers who go to mattress at 6:00 or 6:30 PM on this age group can typically have a cut up evening attributable to bedtime being too early!
This can be a good transition to our subsequent part discussing what time an 18 month previous ought to go to mattress!
What Time Ought to a 18 Month Outdated Go to Mattress?
One of the best bedtime for an 18 month previous is often between 7:00 and eight:00 PM. Every household has a special life-style, however in my 15+ years of expertise as a sleep advisor, in case your toddler’s bedtime is earlier than 7:00 PM, this could 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.
Then again, if bedtime is previous 8:00 PM, except 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 isn’t any “proper” or “incorrect” bedtime however it might 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 alter it.
Pattern 18 Month Outdated Sleep Schedules
Placing your 18 month previous on the fitting sleep schedule will typically imply a toddler sleeping via the evening and napping longer through the day. Use these pattern schedules that will help you discover the fitting one to your distinctive state of affairs.
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 reminiscent of 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 previous sleep schedule or 17 month previous sleep schedule. Subsequently, 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 should get up 18 month olds within the morning however it might assist if you need time to your self within the night. Waking up your toddler inside the identical 30-minute window within the morning (e.g. 7:00 to 7:30 AM) can hold your schedule extra constant.
Pattern 1-Nap Sleep Schedule With Meals
Once more, many consumers wish to know the right way to 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 obligatory) |
||
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 should get up 18 month olds within the morning however it might assist if you need time to your self within the night. Waking up your toddler inside the identical 30-minute window within the morning (e.g. 7:00 to 7:30 AM) can hold 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 now have 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 commonest causes:
- Overtiredness at Bedtime – The #1 purpose for a toddler waking up too early within the morning is because of being overtired at bedtime. If this can be a risk, 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 purpose for waking up too early, too. Ideally, dinner will probably be no sooner than 6:00 PM, if doable, however yours may must 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. Think about 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 just a few different causes your toddler may very well be waking up too early, these are the commonest culprits.
Why Some 18 Month Olds Wake Up at Evening and Can You Do Sleep Coaching?
The #1 purpose for 18 month olds waking up at evening is because of the 18 month sleep regression! Throughout this time, separation anxiousness peaks, and lots 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! Nevertheless, that does NOT imply you need to feed them at evening. It means one thing is incorrect together with your schedule and that’s why I embody pattern schedules with meals above.
There are different causes that may very well be inflicting your toddler to get up at evening. Whilst you can do sleep coaching, that does NOT repair each trigger. You should definitely remedy the proper drawback and take a look at our article High 15 Causes Your Child Is Waking at Evening.
18 Month Outdated Sleep Schedule FAQ
An 18 month previous ought to nap for two to three hours complete each day.
18 month olds take one nap a day.
18 month olds sleep for two to three hours through 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.
One of the best 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 subsequent day. A bedtime that’s too late may cause night-waking and early-waking issues.
The more than likely purpose your 18 month previous is waking up crying each evening is a sleep regression, starvation, or that bedtime is just 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. Make certain your toddler is consuming three stable meals, 2-3 snacks, and consuming at the least 16-20 oz of milk with at the least 8 grams of protein in it.
Some dad and mom will transfer their 18 month previous to a toddler mattress or Montessori mattress. Nevertheless, 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 state of affairs! You should definitely learn When and Transition from Crib to Toddler Mattress.
Sure! The 18 month previous sleep regression is a quite common hassle spot that lasts 3 to six weeks, on common.
The #1 purpose for 18 month olds waking up at evening is because of the 18 month sleep regression! Throughout this time, separation anxiousness peaks, and lots 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! Nevertheless, that does NOT imply you need to feed them at evening. It means one thing is incorrect together with your schedule and that’s why I embody pattern schedules with meals above.
There are different causes that may very well be inflicting your toddler to get up at evening. Whilst you can do sleep coaching, that does NOT repair each trigger. You should definitely remedy the proper drawback and take a look at our article High 15 Causes Your Child Is Waking at Evening.
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 commonest, there are various choices these days. The kind of milk you provide ought to have a minimal of 8 grams of protein per serving. So, watch out about milk substitutes and the quantity of sugar.
Usually, you need to NOT want to offer your little one below 3 years previous melatonin. As an alternative, please merely put them on the proper schedule! For those who aren’t certain what the issue is, make sure to attain out to get assist.
Sure, most 18 month olds nonetheless must take a nap and it IS too early to cease napping. There isn’t a set age for kids to cease napping, nevertheless, most toddlers must take at the least one nap till 3 to 4 years previous, on common.