How much sleep does a baby need?
Babies 4 to 12 months old need 12 to 16 hours of sleep in every 24 hours, naps included, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and the American Academy of Pediatrics supports that guidance. Newborns sleep about 16 to 17 hours a day, but only 1 or 2 hours at a time. Within these ranges, every baby is different.
Sleep by age
| Age | Sleep in 24 hours |
|---|---|
| Newborn | About 16 to 17 hours, often only 1 or 2 hours at a time3 |
| 4 to 12 months | 12 to 16 hours, including naps1 |
| 1 to 2 years | 11 to 14 hours, including naps1 |
| 3 to 5 years | 10 to 13 hours, including naps1 |
These are totals for a whole day and night, so add up naps along with night sleep2.
Why there's no official range for young babies
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine did not set a recommendation for babies under 4 months, because normal sleep at that age varies so widely and there is too little evidence linking amounts to health1. Newborns wake at the end of each sleep cycle, as often as every 1 or 2 hours, mostly because they need to eat often4. That's normal.
Things change fast. Babies don't have regular sleep cycles until about 4 months3. In a study of 75 babies, the biggest growth in the longest stretch of night sleep came between 1 and 4 months5.
Why it matters
For children, regularly getting the recommended amount of sleep is linked with better attention, behavior, learning, memory, emotional control, and health1. The AAP encourages building good sleep habits from the start2.
Helping your baby sleep
- Keep nights calm and quiet. Feed and change your baby in dim light without play34.
- Make daytime for play. Talk, read, and play together while your baby is awake3.
- From about 4 months, put your baby down drowsy but still awake, so they learn to fall asleep in their own bed3.
- Give your baby a few minutes to settle. It's normal for a 6-month-old to wake at night and fall back asleep on their own3.
- Keep a simple routine at naps and bedtime, done the same way each time4.
Wherever and whenever your baby sleeps, place them on their back on a firm, flat surface with nothing soft around them6. Our safe sleep guide covers the details.
When to ask the doctor
If you're worried your baby sleeps much less or much more than these ranges, talk with your baby's doctor1. Notes on when your baby slept, ate, and woke can make that conversation easier.
Sources
- Paruthi S, Brooks LJ, D'Ambrosio C, et al. Recommended amount of sleep for pediatric populations: A consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2016;12(6):785-786. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4877308/
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org. Healthy Sleep Habits: How Many Hours Does Your Child Need? https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/sleep/Pages/healthy-sleep-habits-how-many-hours-does-your-child-need.aspx
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org. Getting Your Baby to Sleep. Updated 2024. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/getting-your-baby-to-sleep.aspx
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org. Safe Sleep Tips for Sleep-Deprived Parents. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/safe-sleep-tips-for-sleep-deprived-parents.aspx
- Henderson JMT, France KG, Owens JL, Blampied NM. Sleeping through the night: The consolidation of self-regulated sleep across the first year of life. Pediatrics. 2010;126(5):e1081-e1087. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2010-0976
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org. How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained. Updated 2026. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/a-parents-guide-to-safe-sleep.aspx
This is general information, not medical advice. Ask your baby's doctor about your own baby.