Why Does My Toddler Take So Long To Fall Asleep?

Have you ever found yourself staring at the monitor wondering “Why does my toddler take so long to fall asleep?”  Maybe they are still laying there with their eyes open even up to an hour after you’ve put them down?

You’re not alone! Today, I’m answering a question from Kelsey in Urbana, Illinois, whose 21-month-old has been taking an hour to fall asleep every night.

If you’re dealing with something similar, keep reading for insights and tips that could help you and your toddler get back on track!

 

4 Tips To Help Your Toddler Fall Asleep Quicker

Why does your toddler take so long to fall asleep?  After all of that running around and exploring throughout the day your toddler should WANT to sleep, right?!

Toddler’s are tiny little bundles of energy and curiosity and it’s normal for them to need some time to settle down at night.

If you’ve been wondering “Why does my toddler take so long to fall asleep” I’ve put together 4 tips to help them get into sleep much sooner!

 

Reevaluate the Timing Between Nap and Bedtime

If your toddler is taking a long time to fall asleep at bedtime one of the first things to consider is the gap between your toddler’s nap and bedtime.

If your toddler wakes up from their nap around 2:30 PM and you’re putting them to bed at 7 PM, that’s a four-and-a-half-hour window.

This might not be enough awake time to allow them to become tired enough to fall asleep quickly at bedtime!

Try extending the wake window to five hours. So, if they wake up at 2:30 PM, aim for a bedtime around 7:30 PM.

Stick with this adjustment for four to five days to see if it makes a difference.

Consistency is key when testing out any new sleep schedule! See this blog for more on pushing bedtime later.

A toddler needs 11-12 hours of sleep at night (uninterrupted) and 1.5-2.5 hours of sleep for their midday nap, so as long as their totals are being met you have freedom to shift around the awake windows to find what works best for your toddler!

Check the Sleep Environment

Next, take a good look at your child’s sleep environment! Even the smallest distractions can keep your toddler awake.

Things to consider:

• Lighting: Is there too much light in the room? Even a small amount of light seeping through the curtains or a blue light from a humidifier could be keeping your child awake.
• Noise: Is the room too noisy or too quiet? Consider a sound machine like the Snooz placed either at your child’s door or in the hallway to block out noises that might distract 
• Temperature: The ideal temperature for sleep is around 68°F as our bodies naturally drop in temperature a cooler room makes it easier to fall asleep
• Pajamas: If your toddler has been taking their pajamas and diaper off in the crib, consider putting them in zippered pajamas and secure them on backwards so they cannot take them off as easily!

 

Review Dinner and Bedtime Routine

What and when your toddler eats could also be impacting their ability to fall asleep.

Questions to ask yourself:

• Is dinner too close to bedtime? If your toddler eats dinner and goes straight to bed, they might be too energized from their meal to fall asleep quickly.
• Does your bedtime routine include enough wind-down time? High-energy toddlers sometimes need a bit of time to get their final burst of energy out before settling down for the night.
• Consider adding 10-15 minutes of high-energy playtime to your bedtime routine. Let them jump on a mini trampoline, play tag, or wrestle with Dad. This can help burn off any remaining energy, making it easier for them to wind down and fall asleep!

Don’t Stress if They’re Just Laying There

Finally, if your toddler is laying quietly in their crib and not crying, it might be okay to let them be!

Remember that the first stage of sleep is drowsiness, so even if they’re not fully asleep, they might be in the process of drifting off. 

If you’ve made all of the checks, done all of the things and your toddler is simply choosing to lay in their crib and not fall asleep quickly – try not to fret over it night after night!

If your toddler is happy and thriving during the day, this is a great example of something that you cannot control and we need to give yourself permission to just let THEM do their thing!!

You’ve done everything you can, and sometimes, toddlers just need a little extra time to settle down!

 

Why It Takes So Long For Your Toddler To Fall Asleep

If your toddler is taking an hour to fall asleep but isn’t distressed, try not to stress too much.

Try these 4 checks to help:

1. Focus on adjusting the timing between nap and bedtime to allow plenty of time to burn off energy before bedtime
2. Ensure the sleep environment is conducive to sleep
3. Incorporate some high-energy play before bed.
4. If you’ve checked all the boxes and they’re still taking a while to fall asleep, it might just be a phase they’ll outgrow!

If you want to make sure your toddler is getting enough sleep, use my free Schedule Generator to keep a handy screen shot of their sleep schedule on your phone!