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Is it a Regression? How to Restore Your 2-Year-Old’s Sleep

Two-year-olds have a big personality—they’re fun, affectionate, opinionated, and fiercely independent. But that same independence can spill into bedtime, making sleep a challenge.


While there’s no official "2 year sleep regression," toddlers at this age can experience sensitivities around sleep such as:


  • Refusing naps

  • Bedtime stalling & endless requests

  • Big emotions at the end of a busy day

  • Testing boundaries & newfound independence


If separation anxiety or potty training is in the mix, sleep can become even more unsettled.


How to Manage Sleep During the 2-Year Sleep Sensitivity


✔️Give choices – Let them pick their pyjamas or bedtime book to feel in control.

✔️Spend quality time – Engage in their games, make eye contact, and offer cuddles before bedtime.

✔️Set clear boundaries – Use a visual bedtime routine so they know what’s done and that it’s time to sleep.

✔️Avoid new, unsustainable habits – Sitting with them until they fall asleep or giving endless bedtime toys may create habits that are hard to break.


2 year old bedtie routine
Download my Bedtime Routine chart

How to Break Unhelpful Sleep Habits


If your toddler is already struggling with sleep, or if you've introduced habits that aren’t working for you, know that it’s never too late to reset.


✔️ Use a responsive, gentle approach to wean off sleep associations.

✔️ Be consistent—commit to the new bedtime structure.

✔️ Have patience—with the right support, your toddler will adjust and start sleeping better again.


Your determined little 2-year-old can learn to settle well at bedtime—and with the right strategies, so can you!

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