6 month old baby lying on bed

6 Month Old Sleep Schedule: Routines, Wake Windows, and Expert Tips

What to expect from your 6 month old's sleep

At six months, your baby’s sleep is becoming more mature, predictable, and often more consolidated. Many parents notice longer stretches of night sleep and more consistent nap patterns. Your little one is also becoming more mobile, alert, and engaged with their surroundings, which can sometimes make settling to sleep a little trickier.

At this age, most 6 month olds will sleep around 14.5 hours in a 24-hour period. This typically includes 2.5 hours of day sleep over 2-3 naps, plus 12 hours at night. While some babies can sleep through the night without feeds, it’s still very normal for others to have one night feed, especially until established on solids.

In this article:

  1. Wake windows for a 6 month old
  2. How many naps should a 6 month old have?
  3. Sample 6 month old sleep schedule
  4. Night sleep for a 6 month old
  5. Self settling and independent sleep
  6. Bedtime routine for a 6 month old
  7. Common 6 month old sleep challenges
  8. Tips for smoother 6 month old sleep
  9. Key takeaways

Wake windows for a 6 month old

Wake windows - the amount of time your baby can stay awake between sleeps - are key to preventing overtiredness and supporting restorative naps. At six months, most babies manage 2.5 to 4 hours of awake time, with the shortest window in the morning and the longest before bedtime.

Sticking to these awake periods helps ensure your baby is tired enough to settle well, but not overtired. As your baby approaches 7 months, wake windows will lengthen out again.

How many naps should a 6 month old have?

By six months, babies are in a stage of nap transition, transitioning to a 2 nap routine. The first nap of the day should be shorter, with a longer lunchtime nap. Sometimes, a very short nap (10-15 minutes) is needed to help bridge the gap to bedtime, while your little one gets used to just 2 naps.

If your baby is still consistently having 3 naps, that’s fine - this transition down to 2 naps happens at slightly different times for each child. You can gently encourage the 2-nap day by extending wake windows and helping your baby link sleep cycles for that longer nap at lunchtime.

Sample 6 month old sleep schedule

  • 7:00 am – Wake for the day

  • 9:30 – Nap 1 (short nap)

  • 12:30 – Nap 2 (long nap)

  • 4:50 – Nap 3, if needed (very short nap)

  • 6:30-7:00 pm – Bedtime

Night sleep for a 6 month old

By this stage, many babies are capable of sleeping 8 hour stretches without waking, or even all night long. If your baby is waking more often, it may be due to their nap structure needing adjusting or needing support to self-settle.

Some babies will still require a feed overnight, but multiple wakes for reasons other than hunger can often be improved by addressing sleep associations and ensuring they are getting enough calories in the day.

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Self-settling and independent sleep

At six months, self-settling skills can dramatically improve sleep quality. Babies who can fall asleep independently, without needing you to actively settle them to sleep, are more likely to resettle between sleep cycles during both day and night sleep. This can lead to longer naps, fewer night wakes, and a smoother bedtime. 

Gentle self-settling approaches can be introduced without using “cry-it-out” methods, and you can continue to provide comfort and reassurance while your baby learns. If you'd like to know more, our Baby Sleep App guides you through this process from start to finish.

Bedtime routine for a 6 month old

A consistent bedtime routine, made up of the same steps repeated in the same order every night signals to your baby that it’s time for sleep. At six months, your bedtime routine might take around 20–30 minutes and include:

  • Bath 

  • Massage and changing into sleepwear

  • Quiet activity like a book or lullaby

  • Final feed in a calm, dimly lit space

  • Placing baby in their sleep space while drowsy but awake

Aim for bedtime to fall between 6:30 and 7:00 pm, depending on the timing of the last nap.

Common 6 month old sleep challenges

Short naps - May happen if your baby is under or overtired, or cannot link sleep cycles.
Frequent night waking - Often linked to sleep associations (inability to self settle) or day sleep imbalance.
Early rising - Can be caused by bedtime that’s too early or too late, or sleep environment factors (you need a dark room and white noise)
Nap refusal - Often due to wake windows being too long or too short, or your little one going through the nap transition down to 2 naps and their nap structure needing adjusting.

Tips for smoother 6 month old sleep

  1. Follow age-appropriate wake windows to avoid overtiredness.

  2. Keep day sleep balanced - too much or too little can disrupt night sleep.

  3. Use a predictable nap and bedtime routine to cue sleep.

  4. Encourage self-settling by putting your baby down drowsy but awake.

  5. Keep night interactions calm and quiet to reinforce the difference between night and day.

Key Takeaways: 6 Month Old Sleep Schedule

  • Total sleep needs - 14.5 hours in 24 hours (12 at night, 2.5 in the day)

  • Naps - Typically 2 naps per day, maybe 3 if needed

  • Wake windows - 2.5–4 hours, depending on the time of day

  • Bedtime - Usually 6:30–7:00 pm

  • Night feeds - Many babies can drop to 0-1 feed

  • Self-settling - Encouraged to help lengthen sleep stretches

  • Routine - Consistency helps regulate sleep patterns

  • Flexibility - Adjust for your baby’s unique needs and development

Conclusion

By six months, your baby is ready for more consolidated sleep and a more predictable daily rhythm. With age-appropriate wake windows, a balanced nap schedule, and a calming bedtime routine, you can help your baby sleep longer and more soundly. Some babies will be sleeping through the night by this stage, while others still need one feed - both are completely normal. The key is to be consistent, follow your baby’s cues, and create an environment that supports healthy, restorative sleep.

If you need a hand getting this all lined up for your little one, our Baby Sleep App contains everything you need to get started asap:

 

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Bibliography

 

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2022). Sleep: What every parent needs to know. Itasca, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Infant sleep. Retrieved August 13, 2025, from https://www.cdc.gov/infant-toddler-nutrition/sleep/index.html

Mindell, J. A., & Owens, J. A. (2022). A clinical guide to pediatric sleep: Diagnosis and management of sleep problems. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.

National Health Service (NHS). (2023). Your baby’s sleep. Retrieved August 13, 2025, from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/babys-development/sleep/

Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne. (2023). Sleep – babies 6 to 12 months. Retrieved August 13, 2025, from https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Sleep_-_babies_6_to_12_months/

World Health Organization. (2020). Guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age. Geneva: World Health Organization.

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