5 Month Old Wake Windows & Sleep Schedule
A typical 5 month old handles wake windows of 2 to 2¾ hours and takes 3 naps a day. The first window of the morning is usually the shortest and the stretch before bed the longest, which is why a 5 month old can seem ready for a nap barely two hours after waking.
- Wake window
- 2–2¾ hours
- Naps
- 3 a day
- Day sleep
- 3–4 h
- Night sleep
- 10–12 h
- Total in 24 h
- 12–16 h
Reviewed by Pediatric sleep consultant (TBC) · Updated 2026-09-25
Next nap for your 5 month old
Next nap
9:00 am
after 2 h awake · typical 2–2¾ hours
See the whole day
- 7:00 am Morning wake-up
- 9:00 am Nap 1 · until 10:10 am
- 12:25 pm Nap 2 · until 1:35 pm
- 4:05 pm Nap 3 · until 4:45 pm
- 7:30 pm Bedtime
Get a reminder before 9:00 am. The Wake Windows app pings you when the window is closing and re-plans the day when naps run short.
Sample schedules
5 month old sleep schedule
These schedules use 3 naps and wake windows that lengthen from 2 h in the morning to 2 h 45 min before bed. Pick the one closest to your baby's wake-up time and shift it by the difference.
Up at 6:00 am
- 6:00 am Morning wake-up
- 8:00 am Nap 1 · until 9:10 am
- 11:25 am Nap 2 · until 12:35 pm
- 3:05 pm Nap 3 · until 3:45 pm
- 6:30 pm Bedtime
Up at 7:00 am
- 7:00 am Morning wake-up
- 9:00 am Nap 1 · until 10:10 am
- 12:25 pm Nap 2 · until 1:35 pm
- 4:05 pm Nap 3 · until 4:45 pm
- 7:30 pm Bedtime
Up at 8:00 am
- 8:00 am Morning wake-up
- 10:00 am Nap 1 · until 11:10 am
- 1:25 pm Nap 2 · until 2:35 pm
- 5:05 pm Nap 3 · until 5:45 pm
- 8:30 pm Bedtime
How 5 month old wake windows change through the day
The first wake window of the day is the shortest. Each one after a nap gets a little longer, with the longest just before bedtime:
| Window | Length |
|---|---|
| First window (after morning wake-up) | 2 h |
| After nap 1 | 2 h 15 min |
| After nap 2 | 2 h 30 min |
| Last window (before bedtime) | 2 h 45 min |
What's changing for your 5 month old
- Rolling both ways is common, so safe-sleep setups matter again (no swaddle once rolling starts).
- Naps begin to lengthen, and the third nap of the day is often a short catnap.
- Many babies are still recovering from the 4-month sleep regression.
- Distractibility during feeds peaks; a darker room for feeds before naps helps.
What comes next
Between 6 and 8 months most babies drop the third nap and move to 2 naps, with wake windows stretching toward 2½–3½ hours.
Wake windows around 5 months
Questions about 5 month old wake windows
What is the wake window for a 5 month old?
Usually 2 to 2¾ hours. Start the day at the shorter end and let windows lengthen through the afternoon, with the longest window before bedtime.
How many naps should a 5 month old take?
Most 5 month olds take 3 naps: two longer naps of 1–2 hours and a shorter late-afternoon catnap of 30–45 minutes.
What time should bedtime be for a 5 month old?
Somewhere between 6:30 and 8:00 pm is typical. Work backward from the end of the last nap plus the final wake window.
Why are my 5 month old's naps only 30 minutes?
Short naps are common at this age as sleep cycles mature. A wake window that is too short (undertired) or too long (overtired) are the two usual culprits, so adjust by 10–15 minutes and watch for a few days.