Why children bang their heads or rock in bed – and what to do

Many children rock, roll or bang their heads as they fall asleep.

Children might behave like this as a way of soothing and settling themselves to sleep.

To keep your child safe, move their bed away from bedside tables, walls and other hard surfaces.

Children usually grow out of this behaviour, but talk to your GP or child and family health nurse if you’re concerned.

About rocking, head-banging and rolling around in bed

Young children often rock their bodies, bang their heads or roll around in bed as they’re going to sleep or during the night.

For example, your child might:

get on their hands and knees and rock back and forth, hitting their forehead on the bedhead or cot edges

sit in bed and bang their head backwards against the bedhead

lie face down and bang their head and chest into the pillow or mattress

lie on their back and move their head or body from side to side

make humming noises in time with their movements.

Why do children bang their heads or rock in bed?

Your child might rock back and forth, roll around in bed or bang their head because it’s rhythmic and it comforts and soothes them.

What age does rocking and head-banging in bed start and stop?

Body-rocking might start at around 6 months of age, and head-rolling or head-banging might start at around 9 months.

Most children stop this behaviour by 5 years, but occasionally it keeps going after this.

As children get older, they might change the way they move. For example, children might bang their heads at 12 months but roll their heads or bodies at 2 years.

What to do about rocking and head-banging in bed

If your child is developing well in all other ways and the body-rocking, head-rolling or head-banging happens only at night, you might decide to put up with it. It might help to remember that it’s a common childhood behaviour, which will eventually go away.

Think about how long your child is spending in bed before falling asleep. Too much time awake in bed might result in head-banging and body-rocking.

Avoid giving the behaviour your attention. Your child might behave this way more if it seems to keep you around at bedtime.

If your child is in a bed, remove bedside tables or other hard surfaces, and move the bed well away from walls. This will help to stop bruising or thickening of your child’s skin in the spot where they bang their head.

Consider putting your child’s mattress directly on the floor away from walls. This can help to limit the noise.

If your baby is 0-12 months old, keep their sleep space clear of bumpers, quilts, pillows or other soft objects. This helps to create a safe sleep environment. In a safe sleep environment, your child sleeps on their back, on a firm, flat and level surface, in a space that’s clear, not too hot and smoke free. This reduces the risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) including SIDS and fatal sleep accidents.

When to get help for rocking and head-banging

You usually don’t need to be concerned if your child is healthy during the day and bangs their head or rocks their body only as a self-settling strategy. But if you have any questions about your child’s behaviour, it’s a good idea to ask your GP or child family health nurse. And if your child’s behaviour is affecting their sleep quality or daytime behaviour or it’s causing them injury, you should see your GP or paediatrician.

Your child is injuring their head

Head-banging might result in red marks, slight bruising or skin thickening on your child’s head. For most children, this doesn’t cause any serious or permanent injury.

Your child snores or seems tired

It’s a good idea to talk with your child’s GP if the head-banging, rocking or rolling happens a lot through the night and your child also snores or seems tired in the morning. Also talk with the GP if you think the head-banging, rocking or rolling might be affecting the quality of your child’s sleep. The GP will check for things that might be disturbing your child’s sleep, like obstructive sleep apnoea.

Occasionally children rock, roll and bang their heads more if they’re experiencing anxiety or stress during the day. If you’re concerned about your child’s mental health, check in with your GP.

Your child is autistic or has other additional needs and you’re concerned

Body-rocking and head-banging can be particularly intense in some children, including children with developmental delay, autism or blindness. These children are also more likely to rock or bang during the day. For these children, the rocking and banging can result in more bruising, but it’s rarely harmful. In this situation, you can get advice from your child’s paediatrician or health specialist.

If you’re concerned about your child’s rocking, rolling and head-banging, it’s a good idea to take a video of the behaviour that concerns you so you can show it to your doctor or nurse.

What is sleep-related rhythmic movement disorder in children?

When body-rocking, head-banging or head rolling before or during sleep greatly disturbs sleep or causes serious injury, it’s called sleep-related rhythmic movement disorder.

About 1% of babies and toddlers have sleep-related rhythmic movement disorder. It often reduces with age.

Our content is regularly reviewed for quality and currency. The last review of this article was by staff from the Melbourne Children’s Sleep Centre.

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