There isn’t a distinct 22-month sleep regression recognized as its own milestone, but sleep disruptions at 22 months are extremely common. What you’re likely experiencing is the early edge of the 2-year sleep regression, which can start anywhere from about 21 to 24 months. Sleep regressions are well-documented at 4 months, 8 months, 18 months, and 2 years, and the timing varies enough from child to child that hitting a rough patch at 22 months falls squarely within the expected window.
Why Sleep Falls Apart Around 22 Months
Several developmental forces collide in the months leading up to a child’s second birthday. Language skills are expanding rapidly, physical abilities are advancing, and social awareness is sharpening. All of this brain activity can make it harder for a toddler to wind down at night. Your child may suddenly resist bedtime, wake multiple times overnight, or start the day unreasonably early.
Separation anxiety also plays a role. Babies and toddlers rely on their caregivers for a sense of safety, and this anxiety can resurge in the period between 18 months and age 3. At bedtime, it often looks like your child wanting you right next to them to fall asleep, or crying and clinging when you try to leave the room. This is a normal developmental stage, not a sign that something has gone wrong with your routine.
Then there’s the independence factor. Toddlers at this age are developing a stronger sense of autonomy, which means they want to make choices, test limits, and push back on anything that feels imposed on them. Bedtime is a prime target. A child who cheerfully went to sleep for months may suddenly need one more book, one more sip of water, or one more trip to find a stuffed animal.
Teething Can Make It Worse
If your 22-month-old’s sleep disruption seems to come with extra fussiness, drooling, or ear pulling, teething may be compounding the problem. The lower second molars typically emerge between 23 and 31 months, and the upper second molars between 25 and 33 months. Some children start feeling discomfort well before the tooth actually breaks through. Molars are larger than the front teeth and can cause more pain during eruption, which directly interferes with sleep.
Nap Refusal vs. Outgrowing the Nap
One of the trickiest parts of this age is figuring out whether your child is going through a temporary nap strike or genuinely starting to need less daytime sleep. Between 18 and 24 months, most toddlers have already consolidated down to one nap per day. But even that single nap can become a battleground.
A true nap strike is temporary. Your child still needs the sleep but fights going down, often because they’re too stimulated or too focused on asserting control. These strikes typically resolve within a month or two, though the process can be rough.
A schedule problem looks different. If your toddler plays quietly in their crib during naptime without seeming distressed, then fights bedtime or wakes in the middle of the night, they may be getting too much daytime sleep. At this age, toddlers need 11 to 14 total hours of sleep per day including naps. If the nap is eating into that budget and leaving your child under-tired at bedtime, you may need to shorten the nap or push bedtime slightly later rather than waiting for the problem to resolve on its own.
How Long This Typically Lasts
The duration varies widely. Some families report things settling within two to three weeks. Others describe six to nine weeks of disrupted sleep before their child returned to a normal pattern. A smaller number of parents find it stretches longer, particularly when multiple triggers overlap (teething plus developmental leap plus a new sibling or schedule change, for example). The most common experience is a rough stretch of about two to six weeks followed by a gradual return to baseline.
What Actually Helps
Consistency is the single most important tool. Your child is testing new boundaries, and a predictable bedtime routine gives them a framework that feels safe even when their brain is pushing them to resist it. Keep the routine the same order every night, and keep it short enough that it doesn’t become a drawn-out negotiation.
Giving a 10-minute warning before the routine starts helps toddlers prepare for the transition. A timer on your phone, especially one with a fun sound, gives the boundary an external source so it doesn’t feel like it’s coming solely from you. Some parents find it helpful to post a simple visual chart of the bedtime steps in their child’s room so they can point to “what comes next” when their toddler tries to stall or go off track.
Offering two small choices throughout the routine can satisfy your toddler’s need for control without derailing the process. Let them pick between two pairs of pajamas or choose which two books to read. The key is limiting it to two options so the decision stays manageable.
Screen time in the evening works against you. Turning off all screens at least an hour before lights out helps your child’s brain start producing the signals it needs to wind down.
Crib Climbing and Bed Transitions
Some parents start thinking about a toddler bed around this age, especially if their child has started climbing out of the crib. The American Academy of Pediatrics says a child has outgrown their crib when they’re taller than 35 inches or when the railing hits at mid-chest height while standing. Most toddlers make the switch somewhere between 18 months and 3 years.
If your child isn’t climbing out, there’s no reason to rush this transition during a sleep regression. Adding a major change to an already disrupted period tends to make things worse. If climbing is a safety concern, though, moving to a toddler bed becomes the priority regardless of timing. Lower the crib mattress to its lowest setting first if you haven’t already, and if that’s not enough, it’s time to make the switch.