How Much Should A 5-Month-Old Sleep? | Night And Nap Targets

Five months is a funny age for sleep. Your baby is old enough to show patterns, yet new skills can knock those patterns sideways. This page gives you clear sleep targets, a realistic day structure, and quick ways to troubleshoot the usual snags.

There isn’t one “perfect” schedule. Babies vary. Your goal is a steady rhythm: enough total sleep, wake windows that match your baby, and a bedtime routine you can repeat on ordinary days.

How Much Should A 5-Month-Old Sleep? Targets By Night And Day

A practical target is 12 to 16 total hours across a full day. A common split looks like 10 to 12 hours at night plus 2.5 to 4.5 hours of naps. Many babies take three naps at this age. One nap often runs longer, while the late nap acts as a short bridge to bedtime.

Wake Windows That Fit This Age

Wake windows are the time from eyes-open to the next sleep. Many five-month-olds do well with 2 to 2.75 hours awake between sleeps. Earlier windows can be shorter, late-day windows can stretch. If your baby fights naps hard, the window may be too long. If they go down fast but pop up at 20–30 minutes upset, the window may be off in the other direction.

What A “Good Night” Can Look Like

Some babies do one long stretch, then a feed, then more sleep. Others wake briefly and resettle on their own. Both can be normal at five months. If you’re seeing steady growth and decent daytime moods, a single overnight feed can still fit a healthy pattern.

Signs Your Baby Is Getting Enough Sleep

Hours matter, but your baby’s day tells the story. When sleep is in a good zone, you’ll often see:

• They stay content through most of their usual wake window.
• They settle with your routine in a reasonable time, often 10–20 minutes.
• Naps are not all tiny “catnaps.” A mix is normal, yet you get at least one longer nap on many days.
• They wake alert, feed well, and keep tracking on their growth curve.

When sleep is off for days, you may get evening fussiness, more night wakes, and naps that feel like false starts. Under-tiredness can look like long crib play at nap start or wide-awake stretches after midnight.

Safe Sleep Basics While You Work On Timing

Safe setup comes first. Use a firm, flat sleep surface and keep soft items out of the sleep area. The CDC’s guidance on helping babies sleep safely lays out the “firm, flat, fitted sheet only” rule. The American Academy of Pediatrics adds details on what to avoid, like couches and seated devices, on its Safe Sleep recommendations.

Building A Day That Fits A Five-Month-Old

Most five-month days run on three naps: morning, midday, and late afternoon. The last nap is often short. If it runs late, bedtime slides later too, and that can trigger extra wake-ups.

Sample Day With A 7:00 A.M. Start

If your baby wakes around 7:00 a.m., a common flow is nap one around 9:00, nap two around 12:00, and nap three around 4:00. Bedtime then lands around 7:30 or 8:00, depending on how long that last nap runs. Don’t chase the clock to the minute. Use it as a loose map, then steer by your baby’s cues.

On days when naps happen in the stroller or car seat, keep safety rules in mind and move your baby to a firm, flat sleep space once you’re home. If an “on the go” nap is short, plan for an earlier bedtime instead of trying to force a long late nap.

Bedtime Timing That Tends To Work

Many families land between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. A simple starting point is bedtime about 2.5 hours after the last nap ends. If your baby gets frantic late afternoon, pull bedtime earlier by 15 minutes for a few nights and watch for calmer nights.

A Simple Bedtime Routine

Keep it short and repeatable. Think 20–30 minutes from start to lights out:

1. Feed.
2. Diaper, pajamas, sleep sack.
3. Dim lights, one short book or song.
4. Into the crib calm, with the same cue each night.

Table: Five-Month Sleep Targets And Practical Checks

This table gathers the usual targets plus quick checks you can use in real life.

Area	Common Range	What To Watch
Total sleep in 24 hours	12–16 hours	Overall mood, feeding, growth, and steady day-to-day rhythm
Night sleep	10–12 hours	One long stretch early night is common; brief self-settled wakes can happen
Day naps	3 naps, ~2.5–4.5 hours total	At least one nap often reaches 60–90 minutes on many days
Wake windows	2–2.75 hours	Naps fought hard can mean too long; short naps can mean mistimed window
Late nap timing	Often ends by 5:00–6:00 p.m.	Late last nap can push bedtime later and create night waking
Bedtime window	6:30–8:30 p.m.	Keep a slot you can repeat; adjust by 15 minutes at a time
Overnight feeds	0–1 is common	If feeds are frequent, check daytime intake and bedtime timing
Morning wake time	6:00–7:30 a.m. for many babies	Set a consistent “day starts” time to steady the body clock

If you want a simple target range from a pediatric source, the AAP posts age-based sleep totals on Sleep: How Many Hours Does Your Child Need?.

Common Sleep Snags At Five Months

Rolling, teething discomfort, a growth spurt, and curiosity can all show up as a sleep wobble. The trick is to separate a short rough patch from a pattern that needs a tweak.

Short Naps And The 30-Minute Wake

Many naps end around 30–45 minutes because your baby hits a light-sleep shift. If short naps happen all day, try one change at a time:

• Stretch the wake window by 10–15 minutes before the nap.
• Keep the room darker and boring during naps.
• Pause briefly before going in, so your baby gets a chance to resettle.

Early Morning Wakes

Waking at 4:30 or 5:00 a.m. can be common at this age. Keep the room dark until your chosen wake time, then start the day with light and a feed. If bedtime is late, move it earlier by 15 minutes on a few nights and see if mornings shift.

False Starts After Bedtime

A “false start” is falling asleep, then waking 30–90 minutes later upset. This often points to overtiredness or a too-long last wake window. Protect that late nap and aim for an earlier bedtime for a few nights.

Night Wakings: Hunger Or Habit

If your baby wakes at a similar time each night, check hunger first. A quick three-day feed log can tell you if daytime intake has dipped. Routine ideas that fit the first year are laid out in MedlinePlus’ page on bedtime habits for infants and children.

Feeding And Sleep: A Fast Home Check

Many babies stretch longer at night when they take most calories in daylight. If night waking jumps, try adding one extra daytime feed for a few days and keep bedtime timing steady. If your baby drifts off mid-feed, feed earlier in the wake window, when they’re more alert.

Table: Quick Fixes For Common Five-Month Sleep Problems

Use this as a troubleshooting map. Pick one change, run it for three nights, then judge the result.

Problem You See	Likely Driver	First Change To Try
Naps end at 30–45 minutes all day	Wake windows off or too much stimulation	Push the next nap 10–15 minutes later and keep the room darker
Bedtime takes 45+ minutes	Under-tired or bedtime too early	Extend the last wake window slightly, keep the routine calm and brief
False start 30–90 minutes after bedtime	Overtired or last wake window too long	Protect the late nap, move bedtime earlier for a few nights
Wake at 4:30–5:30 a.m.	Bedtime too late, light leak, hunger	Dark room until set wake time; move bedtime earlier by 15 minutes
Multiple night feeds return	Daytime intake dipped	Add one extra daytime feed and offer a fuller feed before bedtime
Rolling wakes	New skill practice	Give extra floor time in daytime; keep responses brief at night
Bedtime is smooth, nights still choppy	Schedule mismatch or illness	Adjust wake windows by 10 minutes; check for illness signs

When To Call Your Pediatrician

Sleep can be messy and still normal. A few signals deserve medical guidance. Call your pediatrician if your baby:

• Has loud, persistent snoring, pauses in breathing, or labored breathing during sleep.
• Struggles to feed, has poor weight gain, or seems unusually sleepy in daytime.
• Has fever, repeated vomiting, or signs of pain that keep interrupting sleep.

A One-Week Reset You Can Stick With

If your schedule has drifted, this reset keeps the steps simple:

1. Set two anchors. Pick a morning wake time and a bedtime window you can keep most nights.
2. Protect the first two naps. Put extra effort into those naps, since they set the tone for the day.
3. Tune wake windows in small steps. Adjust by 10–15 minutes, then hold for three days before changing again.
4. Keep night responses boring. Low light, quiet voice, quick checks, then back down.

After a week, you should see a clearer pattern. Even if your baby still wakes, you’ll know when it happens and which small change moves the needle.