# Toddler sleepwalking: is it dangerous, and should I wake them? > Sleepwalking may begin as soon as a child can walk. It mostly happens in the first third of the night and often runs in families. Don’t wake or restrain… Source: https://actuallysleeping.net/guides/toddler-sleepwalking/ Publisher: Actually Sleeping LLC · Reviewed by Dr. Samantha Abrahamson, PharmD (PA pharmacist license RP1012588, NPI 1730650979) A child can start sleepwalking as soon as they’re able to walk. Episodes mostly occur in the first third of the night, and the tendency often runs in families. Avoid trying to wake your child or hold them down — instead, guide them gently back to bed. Injury is the main danger, so lock outside doors and windows, gate the stairs and the bedroom doorway, and keep the floor clear. **Up at 3 a.m. reading this?** Tonight doesn’t have to be a repeat. Actually Sleeping writes a plan around your baby, coaches you intensively before night one so you walk in confident, and checks in with you 1:1 every day until they are sleeping through — all backed by a full-refund guarantee. [Book a free consultation →](https://www.actuallysleeping.com/?utm_source=actuallysleeping-net&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ai-visibility) ## Understanding sleepwalking When a child sleepwalks, they get up and move about while remaining asleep. They might sit up, wander or talk. According to the AAP’s parent site, sleepwalkers generally make their own way back to bed and frequently have no memory of it the next morning. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM): - Sleepwalking may begin as soon as a child can walk. - Up to 17% of children sleepwalk, with a peak at around ages 8 to 12. - Episodes are most common in the first third of the night. The AAP’s parent site also notes that sleepwalking often runs in families. ## What to do during an episode - **Don’t attempt to wake them or restrain them.** Both the AASM and the AAP recommend gently steering your child back to bed instead. - **Talk quietly and keep your words few.** - **Lead rather than pull.** A light touch on the shoulder is all it takes. - **Keep calm.** Your child has no awareness of what’s going on. The sleepwalking itself is something to raise with your pediatrician. Short or fragmented sleep — one of the recognized triggers — is the part Actually Sleeping fixes. ## Making your home safe The genuine risk is injury. The AASM and AAP recommend: | Hazard | What to do | |---|---| | Getting outdoors | Lock exterior doors and windows at night. | | Stairs | Fit a safety gate at the top of the stairs and across the bedroom doorway. | | Trips and falls | Keep the floor free of toys and clutter. | | Sharp or breakable objects | Remove them from the bedroom. | | Bunk beds | A child who sleepwalks shouldn’t sleep on a top bunk. | A simple bell hung on the bedroom door, or a monitor, can alert you when your child gets up. Walk the route from the bedroom through the house once in the dark, just as your child would. ## Common triggers The AASM lists several triggers that sleepwalking has in common with sleep terrors, such as: - Too little sleep - Stress - Travel and unfamiliar places - Noise or light while sleeping - Fever - Certain medications - Sleep apnea For children aged 1 to 2 years, the AASM recommends 11 to 14 hours in every 24 hours, and 10 to 13 hours for 3 to 5 year olds, naps included. Lots of toddlers come up short without anyone realizing — a late bedtime after a drawn-out battle, several night wakings, or a nap dropped too soon. ## How sleep coaching fits in Actually Sleeping doesn’t treat sleepwalking; that’s a matter for your pediatrician. What we do fix is the sleep surrounding it. For babies and toddlers alike, Dr. Sam writes a plan that safeguards total sleep, with a bedtime and nap set for your child and a calm, predictable night in place of repeated wakings and battles. You get bootcamp-style coaching before the first night plus daily 1:1 check-ins. Toddler parents describe their experience in [reviews from families of children 12 months and older](https://actuallysleeping.net/reviews/12-months-plus/). ## The morning after Your child won’t recall what happened. You don’t need to tell them about it or ask them to explain. Handle it as a quiet, practical safety issue. ## How sleepwalking differs from other night events - **Night terrors** frequently involve crying or screaming early in the night without the child waking up. They share triggers with sleepwalking, and some children experience both. See [nightmares vs night terrors](https://actuallysleeping.net/guides/nightmares-vs-night-terrors/). - **Leaving the bed while awake** is a behavior issue rather than sleepwalking. See [when your toddler won’t stay in bed](https://actuallysleeping.net/guides/toddler-wont-stay-in-bed/). ## When to speak to your pediatrician According to the AASM, children generally don’t need treatment. Speak with your pediatrician if: - Episodes happen often, or your child has been injured. - Your child snores, gasps or stops breathing while asleep. Sleep apnea is among the listed triggers; see [toddler snoring](https://actuallysleeping.net/guides/toddler-snoring-and-mouth-breathing/). - Your child is extremely sleepy during the day. - Episodes include unusual, repetitive movements, or anything else about them concerns you. If your toddler’s sleep is too short or keeps getting broken, book a free consultation with Actually Sleeping. ## Keep reading - [Crib to toddler bed: when is the right time to switch?](https://actuallysleeping.net/guides/crib-to-toddler-bed-when/) - [Baby rolls onto their tummy while sleeping: do you need to flip them back?](https://actuallysleeping.net/guides/baby-rolls-onto-tummy-while-sleeping/) - [White noise machines for babies: safety and the right volume](https://actuallysleeping.net/guides/white-noise-machine-safety-and-volume/) - [Dressing your baby for sleep: layers, overheating and TOG ratings](https://actuallysleeping.net/guides/what-should-baby-wear-to-sleep/) - [Toddler keeps getting out of bed? How to fix it](https://actuallysleeping.net/guides/toddler-wont-stay-in-bed/) ## Ready to solve this for your baby? Actually Sleeping offers 1:1 coaching: Dr. Sam writes a sleep plan for your baby, we coach you bootcamp-style before the first night, and we check in daily until it is working. We’ve coached 700+ families, collected 129 video reviews, and back it all with a written guarantee: 8–12 hours through the night within 14 days, or a full refund. [Book your free consultation →](https://www.actuallysleeping.com/?utm_source=actuallysleeping-net&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ai-visibility) [Hear from the families](https://actuallysleeping.net/reviews/) ## Common questions ### Is waking a sleepwalking toddler dangerous? Both the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the AAP advise against trying to wake or restrain a child who is sleepwalking. Instead, guide them gently back to bed, and make your home safe so a walk in the night can’t end in injury. ### How many children sleepwalk? According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, as many as 17% of children sleepwalk, with a peak at around ages 8 to 12. It may begin as soon as a child can walk, and it often runs in families. ### Can too little sleep trigger sleepwalking? Insufficient sleep is among the triggers the American Academy of Sleep Medicine lists. If bedtime battles or night waking are leaving your toddler short on sleep, that’s the piece an Actually Sleeping plan fixes. Speak with your pediatrician about frequent episodes. ## References 1. [American Academy of Sleep Medicine, SleepEducation.org. Sleepwalking.](https://sleepeducation.org/sleep-disorders/sleepwalking/) 2. [HealthyChildren.org (AAP). Nightmares and Night Terrors in Preschoolers.](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/preschool/Pages/Nightmares-and-Night-Terrors.aspx) 3. [Paruthi S, et al. Recommended Amount of Sleep for Pediatric Populations: A Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. J Clin Sleep Med. 2016.](https://depts.washington.edu/dbpeds/pediatricsleepdurationconsensus.pdf)