What are the sleep needs depending on their age of the baby?

To fulfill all its functions and support your baby’s development, sleep adapts to their needs. That’s why the duration, structure, cycles, and brain activity during sleep evolve as your child grows. So, how does it change? What are your baby’s sleep needs depending on their age? Let’s take a look.

The Importance of Sleep in Babies

Sleep is a vital function essential to the proper functioning of the body. It plays a role in several physiological and psychological processes that are crucial for health. First, it promotes growth, as it is during sleep that growth hormones are secreted.

This production is particularly significant in children and adolescents, contributing to their physical development. Sleep also contributes to brain development and maturation. In children, it helps consolidate memory and organize the day’s learning. It’s a key moment when the brain sorts, classifies, and integrates new information. Finally, sleep supports the immune system.

Certain hormones, such as prolactin, are produced in greater quantities at night, thus strengthening the body’s natural defenses. In short, sleeping well is essential for growing, learning, and staying healthy.

Understanding Baby Sleep Cycles

Your child’s sleep is structured into several successive cycles. It begins with a falling-asleep phase, followed by multiple sleep cycles throughout the night. Each cycle includes two main types of phases.

The first are calm phases, corresponding to slow-wave sleep, which can be light or deep, during which brain activity gradually slows down. These moments promote physical recovery and your baby’s growth. Then come periods of intense brain activity—this is REM sleep. During these times, the brain is almost as active as when awake, and this is when your child dreams.

Rapid eye movements are also observed, characteristic of this phase. A night’s sleep generally consists of four to six cycles, each alternating between slow-wave and REM sleep. The length of these cycles, as well as the proportion of each phase, changes as your child grows, adapting to their needs according to age. Want to learn more?

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Sleep Needs According to Your Baby’s Age

Just like adults, babies don’t all have the same sleep needs depending on their age. The following information provides average estimates to give you an idea, but every child is unique and may sleep more or less than others.

Sleep Needs from 0 to 3 Months

Some babies naturally sleep more or less than average. These differences are normal. What matters most is that your baby appears rested, alert, and calm when awake.

• Sleep duration: between 16 and 20 hours in a 24-hour period.

• Sleep cycles: 40 to 50 minutes on average. Babies have difficulty linking several cycles without waking up.

• Night wakings: mostly driven by hunger and the need for closeness.

• Naps: babies sleep in short bursts throughout the day, so it’s not really possible to speak of structured naps.

• Sleep structure: it consists of two phases: babies fall asleep in active sleep (REM sleep), then move into a second phase of quiet sleep, meaning calm sleep.

Good to know: the Ministry of Health recommends practicing co-sleeping and having your baby sleep in your bedroom at least until 6 months of age.

Sleep Needs from 3 to 6 Months

During this stage, it’s normal for your baby to still wake up at night. These awakenings may be related to hunger, growth spurts, digestive discomfort, or simply the need for contact.

• Sleep duration: between 14 and 16 hours per day.

• Sleep cycles: 70 minutes.

• Night wakings: nighttime sleep becomes longer. The sleep/wake rhythm is no longer only linked to hunger and fullness but also to wakefulness periods.

• Naps: generally one in the morning, one in the afternoon, and another in the late afternoon.

• Sleep structure: babies still fall asleep in active sleep. Quiet sleep begins to split into light and deep sleep phases.

Sleep Needs from 6 to 18 Months

Even though your child’s sleep structure gradually becomes more like an adult’s, it remains fragile and sensitive to disruptions. Illnesses, major developmental stages, changes in the home, starting daycare or with a nanny—these can all temporarily affect sleep.

• Sleep duration: between 12 and 15 hours per day.

• Sleep cycles: around 70 minutes.

• Night wakings: at this age, most babies no longer need to feed at night. Your baby may still wake several times but can fall back asleep independently.

• Naps: the late afternoon nap gradually disappears, and your child settles into a rhythm of one morning nap and one afternoon nap.

• Sleep structure: sleep cycles now begin with slow-wave sleep and end with REM sleep, whereas it was the opposite before.

Sleep Needs from 18 Months to 3 Years

Between 18 months and 3 years, your child becomes more aware of their surroundings and often enters a phase of self-assertion. It’s a period full of major milestones: language development, potty training, cognitive progress… Even though night awakenings become rarer, these changes can temporarily disturb sleep.

• Sleep duration: between 11 and 14 hours per day.

• Sleep cycles: they lengthen to 90–120 minutes, like in adults.

• Night wakings: still possible, but children who know how to fall asleep alone can soothe themselves back to sleep.

• Naps: daytime sleep decreases, and by around 18 months most children drop their morning nap.

• Sleep structure: a phase of slow sleep, first light then deep (36% of total sleep at age 3), occurs at the beginning of the night, followed by a REM phase—the dreaming phase.

Sleep Regressions by Age

Your child may sometimes go through “sleep regressions,” a misleading term because it actually refers to a normal developmental stage. These periods correspond to times of major change or new skills that temporarily affect sleep. Sleep regressions generally occur when your child experiences changes in their environment or routine. Motor milestones such as rolling over, walking, or climbing stimulate the brain and may cause awakenings or trouble falling asleep. Certain ages are more prone to these challenges:

• Around 4 months: your baby experiences a major sensory and emotional awakening.
• Between 7 and 9 months: increased autonomy and awareness of separation.
• Around 12 months: walking and cognitive development accelerate.
• Around 18 months: separation anxiety may return.
• Between 2 and 3 years: language develops and independence grows.

These phases usually last about 2 to 3 weeks. To get through them smoothly, it’s recommended to maintain consistent bedtime schedules, preserve bedtime routines, encourage calm activities before sleep, and give your child opportunities to explore and practice skills during the day.

How to Promote Your Baby’s Sleep

From the age of 4 months, it’s possible to establish a bedtime routine. This moment provides a reassuring cue for your baby and helps them fall asleep more peacefully. The ritual meets their need for emotional security and makes separation easier at bedtime. For it to be effective, the ritual should take place in a calm and soothing atmosphere: soft light, gentle voice, relaxed environment. Repeating the same steps creates a routine that helps your child unwind and prepare for sleep.

It can evolve over time depending on age and needs. As for duration, it’s better to keep it short and relaxing: 10 minutes is enough for a 3- to 6-month-old baby. Ideally, start as soon as the first signs of tiredness appear and finish before your baby falls asleep. While there’s no foolproof method for peaceful sleep, establishing a bedtime ritual remains one of the most effective approaches.

Good to know: it’s best to reserve this ritual for nighttime to clearly mark the difference between night and nap times. In conclusion, sleep is not just a moment of rest. It’s a phase of growth and learning essential to your child’s physical and emotional balance. Your baby’s sleep needs evolve significantly over the months.

Since every child has their own rhythm, the key is to stay attentive to signs of fatigue, maintain a calm environment, and keep stable, reassuring routines. Gradually, your baby will learn to regulate their circadian rhythm and fall asleep peacefully.

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Photo credits: seventyfourimages | AnnaStills | leungchopan | ArseniiPalivoda

This text was translated from French by an artificial intelligence. The information, advice, and sources it contains comply with French standards and may therefore not apply to your situation. Make sure to complement this reading by visiting the May US/UK app and consulting the healthcare professionals who are supporting you.