In this article
Why it happens
Your toddler's night waking could be rooted in poor sleep habits or a health problem. Sometimes perfectly normal, healthy toddlers will wake during the night as they go through different stages of development or experience separation anxiety.Night waking can be caused by not napping, changes in routines, or being overstimulated during the day. Nightmares and night-time fears can result in disrupted sleep. Toddlers who snore or breathe through their mouths when asleep (both symptoms of sleep apneoa), or have inconsistent sleep schedules - going to bed too late or napping at the wrong times - are more likely to wake up in the middle of the night than their peers. In addition, discomfort caused by fever or an ear infection can keep your toddler from sleeping soundly.
What you can do about it
Start by establishing a regular bedtime and a consistent bedtime routine. Make bedtime early, as later bedtimes will result in sleep deprivation, making your toddler wake more frequently at night rather than less frequently. Develop a consistent bedtime routine that includes three to four soothing activities and ends with your toddler falling asleep on her own.With a consistent bedtime routine in which your toddler falls asleep on her own, night waking should diminish in a few weeks. If this doesn't work, try this checking routine: stay in your toddler's room for a brief time, keep contact neutral (patting her on the back a few times is fine), and don't pick her up. Leave and return at five-minute intervals, gradually increasing the time you're gone. Some toddlers are temperamentally tougher to get to sleep, so don't despair if yours takes a little longer to learn how to sleep through the night.
Work on establishing a consistent nap schedule so your toddler is getting plenty of daytime sleep. Napping well during the day is an important component of sleeping well at night, since sleep-deprived toddlers wake more often at night.
