My Toddler Sleepwalks
The short answer
Sleepwalking is a common parasomnia in children that typically occurs during deep non-REM sleep in the first third of the night. Your child may walk around, open doors, or even talk, all while remaining asleep. It is not a sign of a psychological problem and most children outgrow it by adolescence. The main concern is safety during episodes.
Parents everywhere have the same worry. You are doing the right thing by looking into it.
By Age
What to expect by age
12-24 months
Sleepwalking can begin as soon as a child is mobile enough to climb out of a crib or walk independently. At this age, what looks like sleepwalking may sometimes be a partial arousal where the child sits up, crawls, or stands in the crib in a dazed state. True sleepwalking with purposeful movement around the house is less common before age 2 but does occur.
2-4 years
Sleepwalking becomes more recognizable in this age range. Your toddler may get out of bed, walk to another room, or try to open doors - all while appearing to be awake but actually being in a state of partial arousal from deep sleep. Their eyes may be open but glassy, and they will not respond normally to your voice. Episodes typically last 5-15 minutes. Gently guide them back to bed without forcefully waking them.
4-8 years
This is the peak age for sleepwalking, with about 15-40% of children having at least one episode. It runs strongly in families - if one or both parents sleepwalked as children, your child is significantly more likely to as well. Overtiredness, irregular sleep schedules, fever, and stress are common triggers. Most children have infrequent episodes and outgrow them entirely.
8+ years
Sleepwalking typically decreases through later childhood and adolescence as the brain matures. If sleepwalking is still frequent, is increasing in complexity (leaving the house, engaging in potentially dangerous behavior), or is accompanied by other symptoms like bedwetting or excessive daytime sleepiness, a sleep study may be recommended.
What Should You Do?
When to take action
- Episodes occur in the first 1-3 hours after falling asleep
- Your child does not remember the episode in the morning
- Sleepwalking happens occasionally, especially when overtired or sleeping in a new environment
- Your child is otherwise healthy, well-rested during the day, and developing normally
- Sleepwalking occurs multiple times per week or is becoming more frequent
- Your child also has loud snoring, mouth breathing, or pauses in breathing during sleep that could suggest obstructive sleep apnea
- Episodes involve complex or potentially dangerous behavior such as trying to leave the house or going near stairs
- Your child injures themselves during a sleepwalking episode or is in immediate physical danger
- Sleepwalking is accompanied by seizure-like movements, prolonged confusion lasting more than 30 minutes after the episode, or begins after a head injury
Sources
Related Resources
Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, reach out to your pediatrician.
Worrying about your baby means you care. That is a good thing.
Related Sleep Concerns
How Long Should Baby Be Awake Between Naps?
The ideal awake time between naps (called a "wake window") increases as your baby grows. Newborns may only handle 45-90 minutes awake, while toddlers can manage 4-6 hours. Getting wake windows right is one of the most effective ways to improve nap quality, because both too-short and too-long wake times lead to poor sleep.
Is a Bath Before Bed Really Necessary?
A nightly bath is not medically necessary and some babies with sensitive skin do better with less frequent bathing. However, a warm bath can be a powerful sleep cue because the subsequent body temperature drop triggers melatonin production. If you include a bath, keep it calm and warm rather than stimulating.
How Long Should the Bedtime Routine Be?
An ideal bedtime routine for babies and toddlers is 20-30 minutes. Shorter routines may not give enough time to wind down, while routines longer than 45 minutes can become a stalling tactic. Consistency in the routine order matters more than exact length.
Is My Baby's Bedtime Too Early?
For most babies over 3 months, bedtime between 6:00-8:00 PM is appropriate. A bedtime that is too early can cause early morning wakings (before 6 AM) or long periods of wakefulness in the middle of the night. However, during nap transitions or on days when naps were short, an earlier-than-usual bedtime helps prevent overtiredness.
Is My Baby's Bedtime Too Late?
For babies over 3-4 months, consistently going to bed after 8:30-9:00 PM may result in overtiredness, which paradoxically makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. Cortisol rises when babies are overtired, leading to more night wakings and early mornings. Moving bedtime earlier, even by 15-30 minutes, often improves overnight sleep quality.
Baby Only Napping 30 Minutes
Short naps of 30-45 minutes are extremely common in babies under 6 months. Your baby is waking at the end of a single sleep cycle and has not yet learned to link cycles together during the day. This is developmentally normal and typically improves on its own between 5-7 months as the brain matures.