Wake Windows by Age
Updated
Quick answer: Wake windows grow from about 35–60 minutes for newborns to 2–3 hours at 6 months, 3–4 hours around the first birthday and 5–6 hours for toddlers on one nap. The first wake window of the day is usually the shortest, and the one before bedtime the longest.
Wake window chart
| Age | Wake windows | Naps | Typical day sleep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newborn (0–4 weeks) | 35m–1h | 4–8 | 7h |
| 1 month | 45m–1h 15m | 4–6 | 7h |
| 2 months | 1h–1h 30m | 4–5 | 6h |
| 3 months | 1h 15m–2h | 4–5 | 4h |
| 4 months | 1h 30m–2h | 3–4 | 3h 15m |
| 5 months | 2h–2h 30m | 3 | 3h |
| 6 months | 2h–2h 45m | 2–3 | 3h |
| 7 months | 2h 15m–2h 45m | 2–3 | 2h 30m |
| 8 months | 2h 45m–3h 30m | 2–3 | 2h 30m |
| 9 months | 3h–3h 45m | 2 | 2h 15m |
| 10 months | 3h–4h | 2 | 2h |
| 11 months | 3h 15m–4h | 2 | 2h |
| 12–14 months | 3h 15m–3h 45m | 1–2 | 2h |
| 15–17 months | 5h–5h | 1–2 | 2h 15m |
| 18–23 months | 5h 15m–5h 30m | 1 | 2h |
| 2 years | 5h 30m–6h | 0–1 | 1h 30m |
Typical ranges from our sample schedules. Tap an age for a full schedule and calculator.
What is a wake window?
A wake window is the time your baby is awake between two sleeps — from waking up to falling asleep again. It includes feeds, diaper changes, play and the wind-down before sleep.
Wake windows matter because a baby kept up too long can become overtired, which often makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. A baby put down too early may not be tired enough, and protest or take a short nap.
How to use wake windows
- Start at the low end of the range for your baby’s age and adjust in 10–15 minute steps over a few days.
- Expect the morning wake window to be the shortest and the pre-bedtime window to be the longest.
- Watch your baby as well as the clock. Sleepy cues beat any chart.
- After a short nap, the next wake window often needs to be a little shorter.
Is the wake window too short or too long?
- Possibly too short: lots of playing or chatting in the crib, taking more than 20–30 minutes to fall asleep, or skipping naps.
- Possibly too long: eye rubbing, fussiness, arching, crying hard at nap time, or falling asleep within seconds.
- Short naps can happen with either, so change one thing at a time and give it 3–4 days.
Common questions
What is the wake window for a 4-month-old?
Usually about 1½–2¼ hours, with shorter windows in the morning and longer ones later in the day.
Do wake windows include feeding time?
Yes. A wake window runs from when your baby wakes up until they fall asleep again, including feeds, changes and wind-down.
Are wake windows based on science?
They are a practical rule of thumb used by parents and sleep educators, not an official medical standard. Total sleep recommendations come from pediatric sleep experts; wake windows help spread that sleep across the day.