How do I know if my baby/child is tired? How much sleep does my child need?
Here are some early tired cues to watch for:
Babies:
- Red-rimmed eyes, red eyebrows
- Rubbing eyes
- Staring or having glazed-over eyes
- Yawning
- Pulling ears or hair around ears
Toddlers:
- All of the above
- Silly/hyperactive
- Clumsy
If your child is hysterical/crying, they could be overtired. If you follow your child’s early cues and offer sleep when they need it, you can avoid overtiredness. Why is this helpful? Because overtired children have a harder time settling into sleep and/or a more restless night of sleep.
Having a general idea of “wake windows” is beneficial, but ultimately following your child’s cues is recommended. Here is a general guideline for awake windows:
- Newborn – 12 weeks: 45-75 minutes
- 3-5 Months – 1.5-2 hours
- 6-8 months – 2-3 hours
- 9-12 months 3-4 hours
- 13 months – 2.5 years – 4-6 hours
How much sleep does my child need within 24 hours? (reference for this chart below: sleepfoundation.org/children-and-sleep/how-much-sleep-do-kids-need)
Bridget Jensen is a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University, Conestoga College and is the Canadian Director of the Association of Professional Sleep Consultants. Bridget’s calm and supportive demeanor are beneficial while working with families, individuals and workplaces all over Canada and beyond. She is dedicated to helping people get the rest they need, so they can feel at their best during the day. She is founder of Better Bedtime, a full-service sleep consultancy based in Waterloo Region. Services range from one-on-one programs for infants, children and adults to sleep sessions for the workplace.
