A method and apparatus for adjusting a wake-up period of a terminal in a communications system. In at least one embodiment, the method includes: determining whether a network-side device retransmits a paging message in an area in which the terminal is located; and if a paging message is retransmitted, acquiring a time interval at which the paging message is retransmitted and the number R of times that the paging message is retransmitted, and adjusting the wake-up period of the terminal to a value equal to N times the time interval at which the paging message is retransmitted, wherein N is an integer and 2≦N≦R. Consequently, when a network-side device has the performance of retransmitting a paging message in the current location area, the terminal does not need to wake up according to a DRX period set by the network side, thereby reducing electric energy consumption of the terminal and extending the standby time.