Got A Toddler That Won't Sleep? Try Bedtime Fading!

If your toddler won’t sleep, and you’ve tried every trick in the book, then bedtime fading could be the answer to all your problems…

For many parents, putting their kids to bed is the hardest part of their day. If you manage to survive the tantrums and tears, you could still be in for a night of broken sleep and hourly wake-ups, as your toddler resists their basic need for sleep. Researchers at Flinders University, however, have developed a strategy that can help parents manage their child’s sleep regressions and reduce the nightly struggle.

Keeping It Simple

Bedtime fading refers to a process by which parents adjust their child’s bedtime by 15 minutes each night for a few days. Through this parents are able to establish the time where their child falls asleep with the least amount of fuss and is tired enough to remain asleep.

“Select a consistent time (7 days a week) you would like your baby to waking in the morning (eg. 7 am)” the university’s document says. “For a few nights, delay your baby’s bedtime by 15 minutes (eg. from 7 pm to 7:15 pm). After a few nights, if your baby is still taking a while to fall asleep, delay their bedtime by a further 15 mins (eg. 7:30 pm). Continue this process until your baby falls asleep more easily.” Sounds almost too good to be true!

It Actually Works!

A study conducted by Flinders University tested the effectiveness of bedtime fading with 21 children of preschool age. It was found that the process reduced tantrums and improved both the time it took each child to fall asleep and how many times they woke during the night. Not only did bedtime fading have immediate results, but the positive benefits continued, evident in the follow up two years later.

We definitely think bedtime fading is worth a try. It sounds like such a peaceful and mutually beneficial process, and while we know that it isn’t a one size fits all solution, it seems to have great potential!

Have you tried ‘bedtime fading’ with your baby or toddler? Let us know in the comments.

We may get commissions for purchases made using links in this post. Learn more.

35 Comments

- - Ellen said
  - 04 Aug 2024
    7:47 am
My eldest and my youngest could go both on and on till deep in the night

- - meedee said
  - 18 Mar 2024
    11:08 am
This wouldnt have worked with my eldest. She was a total nightmare and never slept

- - mom101628 said
  - 12 Apr 2022
    10:03 pm
What a simple way to do things – wish I had known about this when my grandchildren were little – it might have helped their parents. Mine easily fell asleep every night once they finally came inside from playing.

- - tessie said
  - 26 Oct 2021
    11:39 am
Wish I’d know about this when my boys were younger. What we would do is send them to their bedrooms where they could read or do something else calmly. After 15 minutes they were told their lights were to go off so they could be full of energy for their next days’ adventures. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t but was willing to give anything a try

- - ~Loui~ said
  - 20 Oct 2021
    11:05 pm
I would have liked this suggestion when my children were younger.

- - mummabear said
  - 19 Oct 2021
    9:23 pm
I do this when we have daylight savings.

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 15 Oct 2021
    12:32 pm
I never really had issues with mine- we established a routine from birth and stuck to it. Obviously newborns wake up but the hardwired routine did stick as they got older.

- - rovermum said
  - 14 Oct 2021
    9:27 am
Good idea. I think we naturally did this without understanding the term.

- - Zmijka86 said
  - 13 Oct 2021
    8:55 pm
Never heard of it before.

- - Mumof3boyos said
  - 13 Oct 2021
    8:43 pm
Never heard of it before now, sounds like a game changer.

- - mom476258 said
  - 01 Jun 2021
    10:28 am
Very interesting. I tried earlier sleep on days of childcare as he’s usually so overtired by home time.
Bed time fading great term. More like bedtime fighting haha.

- - tessie said
  - 21 Apr 2021
    12:23 pm
I used to do this with my youngest when he was little. Didn’t realise it was an actual thing though.

- - shanika said
  - 19 Apr 2021
    11:44 am
Every child is different.This really works for my girls.

- - rovermum said
  - 19 Apr 2021
    10:56 am
Had never heard of ‘fading’ before. Fortunately, we set good routines and rules and really did not have any issues with sleep by the time he was a toddler. We did sleep school, sought and managed colic and health issues, and realised how important sleep was to the mix.

- - mom460689 said
  - 17 Apr 2021
    9:39 pm
Sounds worth trying. Any strategy that gets your kids to sleep at night is worth trying.

- - mom466291 said
  - 17 Apr 2021
    5:36 pm
Sounds to good to. Be true

- - Frankiielot said
  - 17 Apr 2021
    3:20 pm
My toddler falls asleep with the least fuss at 1am!!!
It’s alright for now as I’m not at work but when I go back next year it will be a nightmare.
- Tiny Tot replied
  
  02 May 2021 , 8:16 am
  Oh that is too funny! Yes, mine drifts with a bottle in hand or breast after 9… It used to be much later when she was younger. Always had a good routine, it’s just that she won’t stick to it
- - mom113991 said
  - 16 Apr 2021
    11:12 pm
I have never heard of this technique, but it sounds very effective.

- - mom160421 said
  - 15 Apr 2021
    5:02 pm
I’ve never heard of bedtime fading … sounds great.

- - Ellen said
  - 15 Apr 2021
    4:45 am
Yes I’ve done this with my youngest who has Down syndrome and sleep apnea. At age 7yrs her bedtime is around 9pm and she awakes between 4 an 5am…still early but better then it was.