Will he sleep better with a later bedtime?
Not necessarily – usually when toddlers stay up later they become cranky, more wound up, and tired. It actually becomes harder for them to fall asleep! That can be confusing, since for adults it is often the opposite: when you stay up later it is easier to fall asleep. This has to do with their biological rhythms. For little ones, keeping consistent schedules for bedtime and naps that align with their biological rhythms helps them to fall asleep (and wake up) more easily. Keep in mind, though, that some of us are night owls and others of us are morning larks. In other words, some little ones naturally fall asleep and wake up a bit later while others do so a bit earlier. If your little one seems to be a bit of a night owl, you can try moving bedtime back about 15 minutes for at least 4 days (to a few weeks) to see if he falls asleep more easily at that time.
About Dr. Graham Reid
