18 month old sleep schedule
At 18 months, most babies take 1 naps with wake windows of 5 h to 6 h, and need 11–14 h of sleep in 24 hours.
- Wake window
- 5 h – 6 h
- Naps a day
- 1
- Total sleep / 24 h
- 11–14 h
- Daytime sleep (sample)
- about 2 h
Almost all 18-month-olds are on one nap, usually after lunch, with wake windows of 5–6 hours.
Bedtime resistance and early waking are common now. A predictable, short bedtime routine helps.
Night Nap Awake
- 7:00 amWake up, feed
- 12:36 pmNap 1 · about 2 h
- 8:36 pmBedtime (start routine 20–30 min before)
Make it fit your baby
This schedule is built from the middle of the wake-window range for this age, with windows that lengthen through the day. If your baby fights naps, try stretching each window by 10–15 minutes; if they melt down before naps, shorten them. For a schedule from your baby's exact age, a sleep pressure clock and an AI helper for specific problems, use the baby sleep schedule calculator.
Feeding and sleep go together: see the baby feeding calculator for how much milk to expect at this age.
Safe sleep: the AAP recommends placing babies on their back on a firm, flat, empty surface, in the parents' room for at least the first 6 months.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a 18-month-old stay awake between naps?
A typical wake window at this age is 5 h to 6 h, with the shortest window in the morning and the longest before bed. Watch sleepy cues (staring, eye rubbing, yawning, fussing) rather than the clock alone.
How many naps does a 18-month-old take?
Usually 1 naps a day. Almost all 18-month-olds are on one nap, usually after lunch, with wake windows of 5–6 hours.
How much sleep does a 18-month-old need?
About 11–14 h in 24 hours, including naps. This is the range recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and endorsed by the AAP.
What time should a 18-month-old go to bed?
Counted from a 7:00 am wake-up, the sample schedule below lands bedtime at about 8:36 pm. Enter your baby's actual wake-up time to shift the whole day.
Sources: Paruthi S et al., AASM consensus on recommended sleep for pediatric populations (2016), endorsed by the AAP; AAP safe sleep policy statement (2022); HealthyChildren.org. Wake windows are typical ranges compiled from paediatric sleep guidance, not rules.