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6 month old sleeping worse than before, is this a sleep regression?

Yes, worse sleep around 6 months is common and usually temporary. It's often linked to normal developments like teething, separation anxiety, or new motor skills rather than a medical problem.

Researchers describe this age as one where earlier sleep gains can be interrupted by growth spurts, illness, teething, or new milestones, though there is no single agreed medical definition of "sleep regression."

Strength of evidence

Mixed

Guidelines describe normal night waking and separation anxiety at this age, and cohort studies show sleep problems peak around 6 months, but "sleep regression" itself is a popular term, not a defined clinical diagnosis, so no trial has tested it directly.

What the evidence says

What many parents call a "sleep regression" is not an official medical term, but the pattern behind it is real. Around 6 months, babies are going through a lot of changes at once, and sleep can take a hit.

A scoping review of infant sleep studies found that sleep tends to improve steadily over the first 6 months, but this progress is often paused by things like growth spurts, being sick, teething, or learning a new skill like rolling or sitting. These are normal bumps, not signs something is wrong.

Separation anxiety, when a baby becomes upset if a parent is out of sight, often starts in the second half of the first year and can cause more night waking and crying for a parent. This is a normal part of emotional development, not a problem to fix.

Large studies that tracked babies over time found that parent-reported sleep problems are actually most common around 6 months compared with 12 or 24 months, then tend to ease off as babies get older. So worse sleep now does not usually mean lasting trouble ahead.

If the poor sleep drags on for many weeks, comes with feeding problems, weight concerns, or seems linked to pain or illness, it is worth mentioning to your doctor. But a rough patch of sleep around 6 months on its own is common and usually temporary.

Sources

✓Reviewed by CH, MD, FRCPC

Reviewed by a specialist physician certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, who has read this answer against the sources listed above and confirmed it reflects them. That is not medical advice about your child. How we review

Answer checked September 24, 2026

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