• Skip to content
  • Skip to navigation
Raising Children Network
  • Pregnancy
  • Newborns
  • Babies
  • Toddlers
  • Preschoolers
  • School age
  • Pre-teens
  • Teens
  • Grown-ups
  • Autism
  • Disability

Tired signs: why they’re important

Children show they’re tired through changes in behaviour. For example, your child might be suddenly irritable, overactive or demanding.

It’s important to look for your child’s ‘tired signs’. These signs let you know when it’s time to reduce stimulation and start settling your child for sleep.

Babies and children need sleep to grow and develop well. Good sleep is also important for their health and immunity.

Newborns: tired signs

Newborns can get tired very quickly. Some are tired as soon as 1-1½ hours after waking. Others can be happy and keep playing without tired signs for two hours or more.

If your newborn is tired, you might see some of the following tired signs:

  • pulling at ears
  • closing fists
  • yawning
  • fluttering eyelids or difficulty focusing – your baby might even go cross-eyed or seem to be staring into space
  • making jerky arm and leg movements, or arching backwards
  • frowning or looking worried
  • sucking on fingers – this could be a good sign and might mean that your baby is trying to find ways to settle to sleep.

Babies and toddlers: tired signs

At 3-6 months, your baby might be tired after 1½-3 hours awake.

At 6-12 months, your baby might be tired after 2-3 hours awake.

At 12-18 months, your child might be tired if they miss out on a morning or afternoon sleep.

If your baby or toddler is tired, you might see some of the following tired signs:

  • clumsiness
  • clinginess
  • grizzling or crying
  • demands for attention
  • boredom with toys
  • fussiness with food.

Tired or hungry?

If your baby has had a feed within the last two hours and is grizzling and cranky, baby might be tired. If you’re not sure, offer a feed. If your baby takes only a little milk and is still grizzly, try settling baby back to sleep.

Babies cry when they’re tired, hungry, uncomfortable, sick, in pain or just wanting a cuddle. If it’s hard to work out what baby needs when they cry, start by checking that baby isn’t sick or hurt.

Reducing stimulation

If your child is showing signs of tiredness, it’s a good idea to get them ready for sleep by reducing stimulation. You can do this by:

  • taking your child to the place where they usually sleep
  • putting toys away
  • talking quietly and soothingly
  • closing curtains and blinds
  • turning overhead lights off – use lamps if you need to
  • playing music quietly – this will help cut down on background noise.

Making quiet time

Some quiet time before bed in the place where your child usually sleeps will help your child settle to sleep.

Quiet time with your child might include a gentle cuddle, a story or a quiet song.

Your child might need only a few minutes of quiet time before they’re relaxed and ready to be put in bed. If your household is noisy and active, your child might need some extra quiet time before it’s time for sleep.

Languages other than English

  • Arabic (PDF: 450kb)
  • Dari (PDF: 445kb)
  • Karen (PDF: 172kb)
  • Persian (PDF: 420kb)
  • Simplified Chinese (PDF: 368kb)
  • Vietnamese (PDF: 297kb)

Supported By

  • Department of Social Services

Raising Children Network is supported by the Australian Government. Member organisations are the Parenting Research Centre and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute with The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health.

Member Organisations

  • Parenting Research Centre
  • The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
  • Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Follow us on social media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
Join 60,000 subscribers who receive free parenting news. Sign up now
Aboriginal flag (c) WAM Clothing
Torres Strait Islands flag
At raisingchildren.net.au we acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we live, gather and work. We recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
  • Privacy statement
  • Terms of use

© 2006-2023 Raising Children Network (Australia) Limited. All rights reserved.

Warning: This website and the information it contains is not intended as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified practitioner.

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation (HON) and complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information.