What to do if your toddler keeps waking in the night and other common sleep issues

The problem with toddlers and sleep isn’t that they don’t know how to fall asleep – this comes naturally – but not necessarily at bedtime! The trick is to help them fall asleep when we need them to, and a regular, predictable bedtime routine will help them do just that. Read our page on creating a bedtime routine for more tips. 

Make sure your child is getting enough exercise to tire them out in the day – but avoid getting them excited too close to bedtime. Our page on helping your toddler get a good night’s sleep has tips to help you do this.

As your toddler gets older, their sleeping habits will start to change. Maybe that two-hour nap in the afternoon is stopping them from sleeping at night now? If that's the case, try bringing their afternoon nap forward so it’s finished by 2pm, or even reducing it to one hour. It might be trial and error until you find the right balance.

Are you still putting your toddler to bed at the same time as you did when they were six months old? If so, they may just not be tired! Try putting their bedtime back by half an hour – it could make all the difference!

Some toddlers have a bit of trouble making the change from their cot to a ‘big bed’. So make sure the space where they sleep is nice and comforting. You could try taking them shopping to pick out their own bedding. This might make their bed seem more appealing, and bedtime a little easier. Oh, and if the bedding has characters on it, you can both wish them all goodnight before going to sleep. Night night bumble bee, night night sloth…

If your have twins, triplets or more you can find more tips for making the move from cots to beds on the Twins Trust website.

If your wee one calls for you in the night, it may because they need something. Maybe they’ve had a nightmare, or need the loo, or their favourite teddy has slipped down the side of the bed. In this case, help them solve the problem quietly and calmly, then say goodnight again. 

Children rely on you to help them feel calm and safe. So when they wake in the night they may feel confused and scared, and just need you to hold them close. A gentle sway and some loving words will help them know you are there and calm them down.

Night lights aren’t just a good idea for your baby –  your older toddler might still like one in their room, as it’ll help them feel safe if they wake up.

Long naps in the afternoon can have a big impact on sleep. Remember, your child is growing all the time, so their needs and habits are constantly changing. Reduce the length of their nap gradually and they’ll hopefully be back sleeping through the night again. You can find more tips for nap time here.

Changes in routine can affect your child’s sleep patterns. Things like starting nursery or going to a childminder for the first time can impact their sleep. Going back to more babyish behaviours, like wanting you to stay with them until they fall asleep or calling for you in the night, is quite normal at times of change or stress, so please don’t worry if things seem to go backwards for a bit. You might not be able to avoid these changes, but it can help you keep calm and stay patient if you know why their sleep may be disrupted. 

A walk (even just to the shops and back), a run outside in the fresh air or playing hide and seek inside can all help your child sleep better at night. Here are some tips for keeping active that will help them burn up some energy.

They may be waking up because they’re hungry. A small bedtime snack, like a rice cake or a banana, before they brush their teeth could help keep them full through the night.

Many toddlers are dry through the day long before they are at night. Their bladders simply aren’t big enough for them to last through the night and it takes them a while to learn to wake up when they need a wee. It’s perfectly normal for a 2 year old to be toilet trained but still wear nappies or pull ups at night until they’re 4 or 5 years old. 

So don’t be in a hurry for your child to be dry at night. This this can lead to bedwetting, which can be stressful for everyone. You can find out more about bedwetting on the Sleep Action and ERIC websites.

If your child has difficulty getting to sleep it can be tempting to let them stay up with you until they drop off, and then put them to bed. But this doesn’t help them ‘learn’ to fall asleep in bed, so if they wake in the night, they won’t know how to settle themselves again.

Be careful what they’re watching or reading before they go to bed and avoid scary TV programmes, games or stories. You’d be surprised how easily these things can bother your little one when they’re trying to sleep.

If your little one doesn’t like the dark, a night light can help them feel secure. The light will also prevent you from tripping over toys as you tiptoe from their room!

If they awake from a nightmare, stay with them for a bit and explain that it was just a dream. But try not to be dismissive of their fears or say they’re being silly – the nightmare may have seemed very real and scary to them.

If your child is waking regularly with nightmares, ask them if they are upset or worried about anything. A stressful event, such as starting nursery or the arrival of a new baby, may be the cause. Our page on supporting your child’s mental health has tips for helping them calm down and cope with worrying thoughts.