12 Month Old Sleep Schedule: Naps, Bedtime and a Sample Day for Your 1 Year Old
Our sleep guidance is independently endorsed by Harvard sleep neurophysiologist Dr Kate Johnson, Ph.D.
Happy first birthday to your little one! You made it through a whole year of feeds, nappies, naps and nights. That deserves a celebration.
But if you are reading this with the birthday cake barely cleared away, there is a good chance sleep has started to wobble again. Maybe your baby is suddenly refusing their morning nap. Maybe they are standing up in the cot at bedtime and calling for you. Or maybe the 5am wake-ups are back, just when you thought those days were behind you.
You are not doing anything wrong. At 12 months your baby is busy learning to stand, cruise, walk and talk, and all of that new independence spills into sleep. The good news is that most one year olds still thrive on a predictable two nap day, and a few small adjustments to timing usually settle things down again. For the bigger picture of how sleep changes through the first year, see our baby sleep schedule guide.
How Much Sleep Does a 12 Month Old Need?
Most one year olds need around 12 to 14 hours of sleep in 24 hours, which is the range recommended for 1 year olds by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. For most babies that looks like around 11 to 12 hours overnight, plus two daytime naps adding up to roughly 2 to 3 hours.
Every baby sits somewhere different in that range. Some healthy one year olds happily need a little less, and some need a little more. What matters most is how your baby is coping: are they settling reasonably well, waking mostly happy and getting through the day without melting down?
In this article:
- How much sleep does a 12 month old need?
- Wake windows for a 12 month old
- How many naps for a 12 month old?
- Sample 12 month old sleep schedule and routine
- Night sleep for a 12 month old
- Bedtime and bedtime routine for a 12 month old
- Why is my 12 month old fighting sleep?
- Is my 12 month old ready for one nap?
- Tips for smoother 1 year old sleep
- Key takeaways
- Frequently asked questions
Wake Windows for a 12 Month Old
Most 12 month olds do well with wake windows of around 2.25 to 3.5 hours, with a longer stretch before bed. The top of that range is an upper limit, not a target. It is the point by which your baby should already be asleep, and plenty of babies are ready before it.
Your baby can stay awake noticeably longer than they could a few months ago, and their wake windows will keep stretching as they head towards one nap. The morning wake window is usually the shortest of the day, and the stretch before bedtime is usually the longest.
Getting wake windows right is a balancing act:
- Too short, and your baby simply is not tired enough. You may see nap refusal, long periods of chatting or playing in the cot, short naps or a bedtime that drags on.
- Too long, and your baby tips into overtiredness. Stress hormones rise, settling gets harder, and you are more likely to see night waking and early rising.
The tricky part is that the right wake window for your baby depends on how long their last nap was, how they slept overnight and where they are in the move towards one nap. A window that worked last week can suddenly feel wrong. Rather than juggling numbers on a sticky note, the Little Ones® Sleep App sets your baby’s wake windows for their exact age and adjusts them using the sleep you track each day.
How Many Naps for a 12 Month Old?
Most 12 month olds still need two naps a day: a shorter morning nap and a longer lunchtime nap. Together they usually add up to around 2 to 3 hours of day sleep.
Around the first birthday, many babies start resisting one of those naps. It is very easy to read that as a sign they are ready for one nap, but often it is not. More often, the morning nap has crept too long and is stealing sleep pressure from the lunchtime nap, or a wake window needs a small adjustment. We cover how to tell the difference further down this article.
Sample 12 Month Old Sleep Schedule and Daily Routine
Here is an example of what a two nap day can look like for a one year old who wakes at 7am. Use it as a starting point, not a rule book.
Text Version of 12 Month Old Sleep Schedule
| Time | What is happening |
|---|---|
| 7:00 am | Wake for the day and milk feed, then breakfast |
| 9:30 am | Nap 1: short morning nap |
| 12:30 pm | Nap 2: long lunchtime nap, around 2 hours |
| 6:30 pm | Bedtime routine and last milk feed |
| 7:00 pm | Asleep for the night |
This day gives around 2.5 hours of day sleep and a 12 hour overnight sleep opportunity. Keeping the morning nap short protects the lunchtime nap, and the lunchtime nap carries your baby through the afternoon to bedtime. If the lunchtime nap was short, bring bedtime a little earlier.
Of course, real life rarely runs like a table. Daycare drop-offs, a short morning nap, a big sibling’s swimming lesson or a rough night can all shift the day. The Little Ones® Sleep App rebuilds the rest of your baby’s day in real time when a nap runs short or long, so you always know when the next sleep should be.
“Many of the mainstream baby sleep books and advice impose generic and rigid strategies for teaching babies to sleep independently. These don’t take into consideration individual variation, unique family circumstances and sometimes even the emotional toll of sleep training.” Dr Kate Johnson, Ph.D. in Sleep Physiology, Harvard Medical School and Stanford Research Institute
Dr Kate Johnson is a sleep neurophysiologist with a Ph.D. in Sleep Physiology from the University of Melbourne and postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard Medical School and Stanford Research Institute. She discovered Little Ones® independently through her clinical work with families and endorses our methods unprompted. Read Kate's full endorsement.
Night Sleep for a 12 Month Old
Many one year olds can sleep around 11 to 12 hours overnight. Plenty still wake at times, though, and some need a little help to resettle. If your baby was sleeping well and has suddenly started waking again, it can feel crushing, especially when you were finally starting to feel human again.
Common reasons for night waking at this age include:
- A day schedule that is a little off: too much or too little day sleep, or naps at the wrong time
- Sleep associations, such as needing a feed, rock or cuddle to fall asleep at every wake
- Separation anxiety
- New skills like standing, cruising and walking
- Teething, illness or discomfort
Our guide to night waking causes and expectations by age explains what is normal at each stage and how to work out what is behind your baby’s wake-ups.
Many healthy 12 month olds no longer need to feed overnight, but some still do, depending on their growth, appetite and circumstances. If you are unsure, check with your child’s doctor or child health nurse before dropping night feeds.
One thing that holds true at every age: night sleep is built during the day. When the wake windows, naps and bedtime fit your baby, the nights usually follow.
Sleep training a 12 month old
Many families start sleep training around the first birthday, once day sleep is settled and night feeds are no longer needed. It does not have to mean leaving your baby to cry. Our guide to sleep training and when to start explains the options, and the Little Ones® Sleep App matches a gentle settling method to your baby’s age and how they currently fall asleep.
Bedtime and Bedtime Routine for a 12 Month Old
Most 12 month olds do well with a bedtime somewhere around 7:00pm. The right time for your baby depends on when they woke up, how well they napped and when their last nap ended.
On a day of short or skipped naps, bringing bedtime earlier can stop your baby from becoming overtired. A bedtime that is regularly too late can lead to a harder time settling, more night waking and early mornings. A bedtime that is too early can lead to bedtime protests and chatty, playful cot time.
A calm, predictable bedtime routine helps too. Research shows that young children with a consistent nightly routine fall asleep faster and wake less overnight. A simple 12 month old bedtime routine of 20 to 30 minutes might include:
- A bath or warm wash
- Pyjamas and sleeping bag
- A final milk feed
- A story or two
- A song or a cuddle
- Into the cot awake
The order matters more than the length. Doing the same steps in the same order every night tells your baby that sleep is coming.
Why Is My 12 Month Old Fighting Sleep?
If naps and bedtime have suddenly become a battle, you are far from alone. Around the first birthday a lot is changing at once, and it shows up in sleep.
Separation anxiety
Your baby now understands that when you leave the room, you are somewhere else. That can bring tears at nap time and bedtime, extra clinginess and more calling out overnight. Responding calmly and consistently, while still giving them the chance to settle, helps them feel safe. Our guide to separation anxiety in babies and toddlers has more ideas for this stage.
Nap resistance
Nap refusal at 12 months can look like taking much longer to fall asleep, playing or standing in the cot, shorter naps than usual or flat out refusing the second nap. Before you change anything big, look at the morning nap first. If it has crept longer, trimming it back is often all it takes.
The 12 to 15 month sleep regression
Some babies go through a patch of unsettled sleep between 12 and 15 months, with more night waking, nap refusal and early rising. It is not something every baby experiences, and it usually passes. Our guide to the 12 to 15 month sleep regression explains what to expect and how to ride it out without creating new habits you will need to undo later.
Early morning waking
If your baby is suddenly up at 5am, the cause is often hiding in the day before: a morning nap that starts too early or runs too long, too much or too little day sleep, a bedtime that does not fit or light creeping into the room. Our guide to tackling early waking walks through each one.
New skills
Pulling to stand, cruising and first steps are thrilling, and your baby wants to practise them all the time, including at 2am. This phase is usually short. Lots of practice during the day and a steady routine help it pass faster.
“I was unsure whether to get this app but it was the best decision I ever made. Little Ones® has helped me navigate through all the different changes and stages of my two boys’ lives. It gave me a framework to work with and the confidence to stick with routines but also know how to tweak them as with children nothing ever goes to plan.” MKB16T, mum to two boys, UK. 5 Star App Store review.
Is My 12 Month Old Ready for One Nap?
This is the big question around the first birthday. The short answer: most 12 month olds are not ready to move to one nap yet, even if they have started resisting one of their naps. Most babies make the switch somewhere between 13 and 18 months.
Signs your baby may be getting close include:
- Consistently refusing one nap for a couple of weeks or more, not just a few days
- Taking a long time to fall asleep for naps, even when the timing looks right
- Happily coping with much longer stretches awake without getting overtired
- Night sleep or early mornings getting worse despite well-timed naps
Moving to one nap too early can backfire, leading to overtiredness, short naps, early waking and unsettled nights. That is a lot to take on for the sake of a few weeks.
What if my 12 month old is refusing their second nap?
Start by shortening the morning nap. A shorter morning nap builds more sleep pressure for lunchtime. If your baby keeps showing clear readiness signs for a couple of weeks, move to one nap gradually, with an earlier bedtime and the odd two nap day when they need it. Our guide to when babies drop to one nap covers how to make the switch.
This is exactly where so many parents get stuck, unsure whether to push on or pull back. The Little Ones® Sleep App guides you through the move to one nap step by step, adjusting the schedule as your baby adapts. And if you would like a real person to talk it through with, you can add one to one support from a Little Ones® sleep consultant inside your subscription.
Tips for Smoother 1 Year Old Sleep
- Keep morning wake-up time fairly consistent, even after a rough night.
- Stick with two naps until your baby shows sustained signs of readiness for one.
- Trim the morning nap if it is eating into the lunchtime nap.
- Keep a short, predictable bedtime routine in the same order every night.
- Give your baby the chance to fall asleep independently, in a way that suits your family.
- Keep the room dark, quiet and a comfortable temperature for naps and nights.
- Be flexible during illness, teething and big developmental leaps, then return to the routine.
- Avoid making a big change, like dropping a nap, based on a few unsettled days.
Safe sleep still matters at 12 months
As your baby becomes more mobile, keep the cot clear of pillows, toys, bumpers and loose bedding, and lower the mattress once they can pull to stand so they cannot climb out. See our Safe Sleep Guidelines for guidance from Red Nose, The Lullaby Trust and the AAP.
“The app gave me that structure and framework for my day that I found worked incredibly well for us. You could still be flexible but knowing what to aim for in terms of feeds and naps really helped and I found both my boys slept well at night once they were into a nap routine.” zebra2299, mum to two boys, UK. 5 Star App Store review.
Key Takeaways: 12 Month Old Sleep Schedule
- Total sleep: around 12 to 14 hours in 24 hours.
- Naps: usually two, a shorter morning nap and a longer lunchtime nap, adding up to roughly 2 to 3 hours.
- Wake windows: around 2.25 to 3.5 hours, with 3.5 hours as the upper limit, and a longer stretch before bed.
- Bedtime: between 6:30pm and 7:00pm, depending on naps.
- One nap: most babies are not ready at 12 months. Most switch between 13 and 18 months.
- Night waking: often linked to day sleep timing, sleep associations, separation anxiety or new skills.
Your baby’s first birthday is a wonderful milestone, and it does not mean you need to throw out the routine that got you here. Small, steady adjustments are usually all it takes. If your baby has only just turned one, our 11 month old sleep schedule shows how their needs have been changing.
And if you are tired of guessing, the Little Ones® Sleep App gives you an age-matched daily schedule, sleep tracking and step-by-step guidance through every transition ahead, trusted by 1 Million+ families.
Frequently Asked Questions About 12 Month Old Sleep
How much sleep does a 1 year old need?
Most 1 year olds need around 12 to 14 hours of sleep in 24 hours, including roughly 11 to 12 hours overnight and 2 to 3 hours across two daytime naps. Some healthy babies need slightly more or less.
How many naps should a 12 month old have?
Most 12 month olds still need two naps a day: a shorter morning nap and a longer lunchtime nap. Most babies move to one nap somewhere between 13 and 18 months.
What is a good nap schedule for a 1 year old?
A typical 1 year old nap schedule has a short morning nap mid-morning and a longer nap around lunchtime, with bedtime in the early evening. Exact times depend on when your baby wakes and how long each nap lasts. The Little Ones® Sleep App sets the times for your baby’s age and adjusts them as the day unfolds.
What are the wake windows for a 12 month old?
Most 12 month olds do well with wake windows of around 2.25 to 3.5 hours, with a longer stretch before bed. The morning window is usually the shortest. The top end is an upper limit rather than a target, and many babies are ready for sleep sooner. The Little Ones® Sleep App gives you age-matched wake windows that adjust to your baby’s tracked sleep.
What time should a 12 month old go to bed?
Most 12 month olds go to bed somewhere around 7:00pm. The best time depends on when their last nap ended and how much day sleep they had. After a day of short naps, an earlier bedtime can help prevent overtiredness.
Is there a 12 month sleep regression?
Some babies have a patch of disrupted sleep between 12 and 15 months, linked to separation anxiety, new skills like walking and changing nap needs. Not every baby experiences it, and it is not a medical diagnosis. It usually passes with a consistent routine.
Why is my 12 month old suddenly waking at night?
Night waking at 12 months is often linked to day sleep timing, sleep associations, separation anxiety, new physical skills, teething or illness. If waking is persistent or your baby seems unwell, check with your child’s doctor or child health nurse.
Bibliography
The sleep needs, nap patterns and routine guidance in this article draw on peer-reviewed research into sleep in infancy and toddlerhood, international sleep duration recommendations and the clinical experience behind the Little Ones® Sleep App.
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