When we think about sleep regressions our minds usually gravitate to baby sleep or even toddler sleep patterns. It's not often we consider that older children might go through sleep regressions, too.
You may have spent so much time and energy to help your child learn to sleep independently in the baby and toddler years, but before long those bedtime problems can return.
But do school age children go through sleep regressions?
Over the course of this guide, we'll look at the common sleep regression ages and how to tackle your child's poor sleep right from the age of four all the way up to seven.
Table Of Contents
What is a sleep regression and can older children go through them?
Although most babies will only go through sleep regressions during the first two years, child sleep regressions can continue for several years to come. In fact, it is understood that some children can experience them as late as seven years of age.
A sleep regression is a period of time where your child's sleep becomes disturbed. They usually last for around 2-4 weeks, but failure to manage them correctly may lead to long-term sleep problems.
What causes older child sleep regressions?
Toddler sleep regressions and baby sleep regressions are typically caused by the many development jumps your child will go through. And the same can be said of an older child, it can be triggered by hitting a developmental milestone but there are more likely to be other factors involved.
Need for new bedtime
This is a common factor for older children. We've tried to maintain a consistent bedtime routine for several years, but there does come a point where they need to have a later bedtime. As children grow older, they need less sleep. So if they typically go to bed earlier, they may not be tired enough to go to bed.
Janine Orford, sleep consultant and founder of The Bedtime Champ, warns: "Make sure you're not trying to put your child to bed too early. Sleep needs really drop off [as children get older], and if you're trying to put your four-year old to bed at 7pm with the expectation that they will wake at 7am, this is probably unrealistic."
As a guide, 3-5 year olds should be getting 10-13 hours of sleep per day, and that drops to 9-12 hours over the age of six.
Mental stimulation
As their minds mature, children are exposed to a great number of stimulants every day. They're probably allowed to watch more TV now than ever before, use a computer or tablet in school, scroll through our devices at home, play with more complicated toys, read more complicated stories.
That constant mental stimulation can impact healthy sleep habits. The more stimulated our brains are, the longer it takes to switch off - think about it, have you ever had to work late and wind down before you go to bed because you feel so wired?
Your child may need longer to relax, or have stimulants removed earlier in their bedtime routine.
Anxiety from uncertainty
Children develop a better understanding of the world and how it works as they get older. With that comes a growing set of worries, especially when things are changing. Uncertainty can cause worry and stress, which turns into anxiety, leading to sleep problems and a sleep regression.
Here are some examples of things in a child's life that could cause them stress and impact their sleep:
Starting school
Moving up to a new class
Starting a new hobby outside of school
A parent starting a new job, resulting in changed working patterns
Being bullied
Health issues (for them or family members)
And more
Janine Orford explains that anxiety over their sleep problems can compound the issue.
She says: "When children begin to worry, they can then start to worry that they aren't sleeping, and worrying about not sleeping then becomes the issue.
"In those circumstances, it can help, to take the pressure away from sleep being the focus and just get your child to focus on relaxing. So that might mean listening to some audio books as they drift off, or kid friendly meditations."
Change in environment
Just like a baby's sleep, an older child's ability to fall asleep and stay asleep is heavily influenced by their environment. We all take comfort from familiar surroundings - even us adults. So a change in environment could spark some sleep issues regardless of your child's age. This could include:
Moving house
Redecorating their room
Changing the layout of their room
Illness, pain or discomfort
Many babies go through a sleep regression because of teething or other illnesses. The pain or discomfort causes that initial wake-up, triggering a sleep regression. The same applies for older children when it comes to illness, pain and discomfort from things like growing pains.
Travel
We could've put this under 'environment' but we feel it important to highlight. Holidays and travels can spark a great deal of uncertainty, especially if it's their first time. Not only will they be sleeping in a new environment without their usual home comforts, there's no other certainty or routine in their lives for that time.
Signs of sleep regression
The overarching sign of a sleep regression is a sudden change in your child's sleep patterns. This may include:
Frequent night waking
This is harder to spot when it comes to a baby's sleep. Hopefully, by this age, night wakings are typically a thing of the past. So, it should be relatively easy to notice if there's a sudden increase in night waking.
Trouble falling asleep
Your child may be sleepy and know it's time to sleep, but they just can't get off. You may hear a lot of tossing and turning, getting out of bed to grab a drink or read a book. They may even come out of their room complaining that they can't get to sleep.
It's easy to mistake this for messing about or fighting sleep, but most of these activities are signs that they're trying to get to sleep... trying to get comfortable, reading to relax them, and a drink before they sleep may be part of their routine.
Actively fighting sleep
Rather than struggling to fall asleep, this will see your child actively try not to go to sleep. They may refuse to go to bed in the first place, use delaying tactics, or get out of bed as soon as you leave their room.
There may be similarities to 'trouble falling asleep' in the things your child does - but try to recognise the differences.
Increased fussiness or irritability when waking
You may not see a dramatic increase in night wakings, struggling to fall asleep or fighting bedtime altogether. Instead, they may just be more irritable or fussy when they do wake up and then struggle to get back to sleep.
The 4-year sleep regression
Unlike baby or toddler sleep regressions, there isn't really a specific window like the 3-4 month sleep regression. The 4-year sleep regression could happen at any time after your child turns four.
Shenella Karunaratne, licensed professional counselor at Online MFT Programs, says: "Once your kids get to an age in which you can talk to them about sleeping, and they can fully understand you, those discussions should definitely be a part of handling sleep regression."
Let's look at some of the common reasons why your four-year old might be experiencing a sleep regression.
Early bedtime - It's easy for our child's age to creep up on us. One minute you're singing to help your baby fall asleep, and before you know it you've got a four-year old with the same bedtime routines they've had for the past few years. It might be time to adjust their bedtime to something more suitable
Growing independence - Your child's independence continues to grow all the time as they learn new skills
Changes in their life - Experiencing your life change in dramatic ways can cause a lot of stress and worry for a young child. Most children start school at the age of four, so this is a common trigger. However, it could be any major changes in their lives
Physical development - Although your child has probably mastered the basic gross motor skills, they're still going through physical development all the time.
Nightmares and fear - Many children of this age will have a bad dream occasionally. Understandably, this can lead to a child having problems sleeping. As your child matures, they will be exposed to a greater range of materials that could spark a fear of the dark, some intense crying and bedtime battles.
Mental stimulation - Their growing mental capacity means they are more stimulated than ever before. Whether's it's learning at pre-school or school, watching TV, stories, more complicated toys and games, or playing on devices...
Separation anxiety - It's something we usually associate with young ones as babies begin to spend less time with their parents, particularly their mums. But it's something four-year olds can experience, too
Potty training - According to ERIC, The Children's Bowel & Bladder Charity, children are potty training later and later in life. A century ago, most babies potty trained between 12 and 18 months. Now, the average child trains as late as three or four-years old
Naps - Yes, there are some four-year olds who still have daytime naps. It could be that they need to stop those short naps to improve their sleep schedule at night
The 5-year sleep regression
It's could be argued that it's easier to understand a four-year old going through a sleep regression because they're only just out of the toddler years.
Expanding on her previous advice, Shenella Karunaratne, says: "Don’t just make them go to bed at a certain time – explain to them why they need to be going to bed at that time and why sleep schedules are important. When kids can understand why something is important, they are more likely to try harder even when it’s not coming easily to them."
But sleep regressions can come at any time, and the same can be said of five-year olds. Let's look at some of the most common causes of a sleep regression.
Growth spurts - Physical and mental growth spurts can make it harder for children to relax and prepare for sleep time
Redecorated room - 'They're all grown up now and going to school. They don't need a baby room anymore'. Sound like you?
Bad habits - A sleep regression could be triggered by longer periods of bad sleep habits. This could be going to bed too late, waking up too early, or using devices in bed
Sleep apnoea - It is thought that 2-3% of children have sleep apnoea; a condition where the muscles of the throat contract and obstruct the airways, causing breathing problems which can affect sleep
Sleepwalking - Around 15% of children sleepwalk, and it typically starts between the ages of four and eight
Nightmares - Having bad dreams is a normal part of growing up, but it can impact your child's sleep
The 6-year sleep regression
Ah the 72-month sleep regression...
It's not actually called that - we're just highlighting the scale of your shock that your child is now six years old and still having sleep regressions.
In truth, the common causes for sleep problems at this age are pretty much the same as the five-year regression. Something more specific to aware of it a huge development jump children go through between the ages of six and eight. It sees them progress into middle childhood.
Jon from the DaddiLife team explains how getting older has impacted his son's sleep: "Our boy is definitely becoming more aware of how the world works, and he sometimes struggles to get to sleep because he's got a lot on his mind.
"Either my wife or I will try to have a conversation with him before bed about his day or any concerns he's got, just to try and help clear his mind before bed. If anything, we need to make a bigger effort to help him relax before bed than we did a few years ago."
Some signs of this development jump include:
Thinking more about the future, rather than the here and now
Recognising their place in the world
Understanding the importance of friendships and teamwork
A desire to be liked by friends
Rapid development of mental skills
Better ability to talk about emotions and experiences
The 7-year sleep regression
Not every child goes through sleep regressions, and they're less common the older a child gets. But you can definitely be here, the parent of a seven-year old who is going through a sleep regression.
As we mentioned in the run down of the 6-year regression, most children go through a massive development jump between the ages of six and eight. So it's certainly possible that this development jump is causing a regression.
This development towards middle childhood includes:
Being more independent in their day-to-day lives
Understanding they have a place in the world
Showing greater care and empathy for friends and family, thinking about themselves less often
Accelerated learning of new skills
Greater understanding of their thoughts and feelings
The good news is that, because they're older and more mature, it should be easier for you to talk to them about how they're feeling and how to help.
How to survive sleep regressions in older children
1. Maintain a calming bedtime routine
We've discussed the impact of over stimulation at bedtime. Maintaining calm and consistent bedtime routines are considered to be one of the most vital tools in both managing a sleep regression and building long-term healthy sleep habits.
Consider:
What time your child's bedtime routine starts and their actual bedtime?
Are they getting enough sleep at their current bedtime and awake time?
Is their routine consistent?
What sort of activities are they doing before bed? Do they help your child relax or are they stimulating?
Does my child need things in the same order to comfort them?
2. Creating a positive sleep environment
Just like babies, older children still need a positive sleep environment to reinforce healthy sleep habits and minimise the impact (and reduce the risk) of a sleep regression.
We sleep best in dark rooms so blackout curtains are a must. That being said, if your child is afraid of the dark or often wakes to go to the bathroom, you may need a night light to help your child feel more comfortable.
Some night lights double as sound machines - and more and more parents are becoming aware of the benefits of white noise (both for themselves and their children).
Make sure the temperature of the room is correct and their bed is comfortable.
And don't forget their favourite stuffed animal!
3. Talk about how your child is feeling
It's important to talk to your child about how they're feeling. Encouraging them to express their emotions will not only to ease their anxiety in that moment, they'll recognise that they can communicate their fears in the future.
As we know, a sleep regression might be triggered by stress and anxiety caused by uncertainty and big life changes. So it's important to explain these changes as much as you can to (at least try to) provide some certainty.
4. Manage any pain or discomfort
Whether they're ill or experiencing growing pains during a growth spurt, it's important to manage any pain is discomfort. This may not necessarily mean medication, rather a cold compress or an extra pillow to elevate their head.
5. Maintain your own healthy habits
It should go without saying that you will be better equipped to deal with a sleep regression if you are living a healthy life.
Good quality sleep is essential to deal with the trials and tribulations of a sleep regression, so be sure to exercise regularly and eat a healthy balanced diet to support better sleep.
When to seek professional help
Despite your best efforts over the course of a few weeks, your child may still be having bedtime problems.
If these steps don't help you, you may need to seek professional help.
There's a whole market of sleep training programmes available for children from just a few months old, right the way up to the ages of six or seven.
Sleep issues may be related to conditions like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or ADHD).
Janine Orford says: "Sleep issues are common in children with these conditions as they don't produce melatonin in the same way most children do, and they also may have sensory requirements that need to be met before they can sleep well."
FAQs
When should a child drop their nap altogether?
Although most children will have dropped their daytime naps by the time they hit four, some are still napping. If your child isn't getting enough sleep at night, they probably need to drop the nap in favour of more nighttime sleep.
How long does sleep regression last?
Most sleep regressions last roughly 2-4 weeks. However, there are some baby sleep regressions that can last just a few days or even longer than four weeks.
When does a sleep regression become bad sleep habits?
A sleep regression typically lasts 2-4 weeks. If those sudden changes in your child's sleep patterns last longer than that, it may be a sign that those bad habits have become embedded into how your child sleeps.
Are sleep regressions the same as behavioral sleep problems?
Sleep regressions and behvaioral sleep problems are effectively the same thing - refusal or struggling to get to sleep, frequent night wakings, and needing help to get back to sleep. However, the term 'behavorial' implies these issues are happening because your child is misbehaving or being naughty. It's important to understand that there almost always underlying issues.
