RD, LDN, CBS
Certified in Maternal and Infant Nutrition from Cornell, Angela’s mission is to help people reach their wellness goals. She also helps run a program that teaches pregnant women about how a healthy lifestyle optimizes prenatal and postnatal care.
From 13 months through 3 years of age, toddlers typically average 10.5-12 hours of sleep per night and 1-3 hours of sleep during day time naps. Older toddlers need up to 5 hours of being awake to build up enough sleep pressure, or homeostatic pressure, to be able to fall asleep at night, so keeping an eye on the clock will help you navigate a workable schedule.
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Good nighttime sleep for toddlers is based on a parent-led bedtime routine and an optimal sleep environment. Having a parent in charge of the bedtime routine is stress-reducing for toddlers and leads to better sleep for everyone.
An optimal bedtime routine has a clear beginning and a clear ending. Whether it’s reading a book, taking a bath or singing songs, establish a routine that works for your family, and lead your toddler through the steps every night.
Once the bedtime routine is complete and your toddler is in her sleeping place, an optimal sleep environment will help her stay asleep. A safe environment is key, because as toddlers get older, they gain mobility and motor skills, higher cognitive thinking, and lack the impulse control to resist the urge to explore. This means your toddler may climb out of her sleeping place, roam the house, move furniture or play during the time she is supposed to be sleeping!
Create an optimal sleep environment – a cool, dark, quiet and safe space
If your child sleeps in a crib, keep using it
Toddlers like cozy spaces and lack the impulse control to stay on a bed. Unless your toddler is climbing out of the crib or is potty training, keep the crib as long as you can.
Limit screen time
Our modern day electronic devices all contain artificial light (or LED lights) that impact our body’s biological signal to be awake. From a behavioral and developmental standpoint, toddlers generally enjoy TV or phone games, but try to limit them, especially at least one hour before bedtime. Instead, read books, sing, dance or play quietly in the time leading up to bed.
Ensure your toddler’s schedule is age-appropriate
As children age, they are able to withstand longer periods of wakefulness. If your toddler is having trouble falling asleep at bedtime, waking numerous times in the night, or waking in the too-early morning, it could be she is getting too much day sleep or is sleeping too late in the day for her age and stage of development.
Remember that a toddler needs about 5 hours of being awake to build up enough sleep pressure, or homeostatic pressure, before she is ready for sleep at night. Plan her nap at about the midpoint of her day, giving her equal amounts of wakefulness in the morning and afternoon. And keeping the time your toddler goes to bed and wakes each day within the same 30 minute window will help her body’s rhythm remain regular as well.
Use pictures to establish the bedtime routine
Toddlers respond very well to visuals. Create a picture chart displaying the elements of your toddler’s bedtime routine with the last thing being her sleeping. Point to the picture as you complete each task so your toddler is ready for the transition into her bed or crib.
Don’t be afraid to include of bit of whimsy or silliness into the routine (without getting her wound up), like tucking in a favorite stuffed animal.
“Supports Childhood Sleep Guidelines.” American Academy of Pediatrics. Date accessed 13 June 2016. “Toddler Bedtime Trouble: Tips for Parents.” Healthy Children.org. Date accessed 6 Dec. 2011.