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Daytime sleep: how much and when the child needs

2026-05-26 12:00 Sleep
In short: Newborns sleep 4-5 times a day, by the age of one year they switch to 2 naps, by 1.5-2 years - to 1. Most children stop sleeping during the day at the age of 2.5-4 years. Daytime sleep affects the quality of night sleep: "overstaying" a child without a daytime nap means getting an overtired baby who finds it more difficult to fall asleep in the evening.

Why do you need a daytime nap?

Daytime sleep is not just a convenience for parents. During it, memory consolidation occurs (the child "puts" everything that he learned in the morning into long-term memory), growth hormone is produced, and the nervous system is restored. Children who regularly sleep during the day are better able to regulate their behavior, are less capricious, and fall asleep better in the evening, provided that the daytime nap is not too late.

Daytime sleep norms by age

  • 0–3 months: 4–5 naps a day, each for 30–90 minutes, for a total of 4–6 hours during the day. There is no regimen, we focus on the signs of fatigue.
  • 3–6 months: 3–4 naps, wakefulness windows of 1.5–2 hours. The total daytime nap is 3-4 hours.
  • 6–9 months: 2–3 naps (morning, lunchtime, and sometimes short evening). A total of 2.5-3.5 hours.
  • 9–12 months: 2 naps (morning and lunch). A total of 2-3 hours.
  • 12-18 months: Transition from 2 dreams to 1. A difficult period: one sleep is not enough, then two is too much.
  • 18 months – 3 years: 1 daytime nap lasting 1.5–2.5 hours.
  • After 3 years: some children refuse to take a nap; It is normal if the night sleep is sufficient.
Check with the full sleep norms by age, taking into account both night and daytime sleep in total.

Wakefulness windows: a key reference point

Wakefulness window is the time that a child can comfortably stay awake between dreams without being overtired. This is more important than the clock on the clock.
  • 1-2 months: 45-60 minutes
  • 3-4 months: 60-90 minutes
  • 5-6 months: 1.5-2.5 hours
  • 7-9 months: 2-3 hours
  • 10-12 months: 3-4 hours
  • 12-18 months: 3-5 hours
  • 18 months – 2 years: 4-6 hours
Overwork is worse than "insufficient fatigue." A child who has not slept for a long time produces cortisol, which makes it difficult to fall asleep. Do not wait until the baby is "more tired" - lay him in the wakefulness window.

Transition from two dreams to one

One of the most difficult transitions. Signs of readiness:
  • The child systematically (for several weeks) struggles with the second daytime nap or does not fall asleep at all
  • The second nap during the day makes falling asleep very late at night (later than 20:30–21:00)
  • The morning sleep becomes longer and "eats up" the lunch one
During the transition period, it is recommended to alternate regimens (1 sleep / 2 sleeps) depending on the child's condition, or temporarily shift the only sleep to 11:30-12:00 and introduce an earlier evening sleep (18:30-19:00) as compensation.

When daytime sleep interferes with night sleep

Daytime sleep improves night sleep, but on one condition - it should end 3-4 hours before nighttime. If a child naps at 5:30 p.m. and wakes up only at 6:30 p.m., going to bed at 8:00 p.m. will be a torment. More details about why the child often wakes up at night, including due to violation of the regime.

How to establish a daytime nap

  1. Set an approximate laying time and stick to it with an accuracy of 30 minutes.
  2. Use a mini-ritual before bedtime: close the curtains, say "it's time to sleep", turn on white noise.
  3. Provide a dark and quiet room – melatonin works in any light, not just at night.
  4. If the child wakes up in 30-40 minutes, do not immediately take him in your arms. Wait 5 to 10 minutes: Sometimes the baby falls asleep again.

When to see a doctor

  • The child constantly falls asleep in inappropriate places (in the stool, while eating) - a sign of chronic sleep deprivation
  • Daytime sleep is very long (more than 3 hours for a child over 1 year old) and at the same time night sleep is poor
  • The child categorically refuses to take a daytime nap until the age of 1.5 years and looks overtired

Frequently Asked Questions

A 2.5-year-old child refuses to take a nap. Is this normal?

Yes, about 20% of children give up daytime sleep at the age of 2-2.5 years. If the night sleep is sufficient (10-12 hours) and the child does not look overtired, everything is fine. If the behavior worsens in the evening, try a "quiet hour" without mandatory sleep.

Do both daytime naps have to be the same length?

No. Usually, morning sleep is shorter (30-60 minutes), lunch sleep is longer (1-2 hours). This is normal.

Conclusion

Daytime sleep is an important part of a child's circadian rhythm. Knowledge of age norms and wakefulness windows allows you to build a regime in which the baby falls asleep easily both during the day and in the evening. Transitions between the number of dreams are temporarily difficult periods, but they pass. The main thing is to focus on the child, not on the "should".

Bibliography

  1. Mindell J.A., Owens J.A. "A Clinical Guide to Pediatric Sleep." 2015.
  2. Kurdziel L., et al. "Sleep Spindles in Midday Naps Enhance Learning in Preschool Children." PNAS, 2013; 110(43): 17267–17272.
  3. Paruthi S., et al. "Recommended Amount of Sleep for Pediatric Populations." JCSM, 2016.
  4. Galland B.C., et al. "Normal Sleep Patterns in Infants and Children." Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2012.
This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice and is not a substitute for medical advice. If a child's sleep is accompanied by alarming symptoms, a pronounced deterioration in health, problems with breathing, feeding or weight gain, it is necessary to consult a qualified medical specialist as soon as possible, and not rely only on information from the Internet.