Sleepless nights with your baby may feel like they will never end. The journey to sleeping through the night seems filled with steps forward, followed by steps back. If your baby who previously slept well is suddenly fussy at bedtime, has a hard time falling asleep, and wakes frequently, they could be experiencing a sleep regression stage or may be overtired. The great news is, it doesn’t have to be that way, apps like the
Smart Sleep Coach by Pampers™ combine expert
sleep coaching with tools to help you get your baby’s sleep back on track, fast
– especially helpful when sleep setbacks happen.
IN THIS ARTICLE:
We asked the expert sleep team over at the
Smart
Sleep Coach by Pampers™
to share their best tips on how to help you tell
the difference between typical developmental sleep challenges and an overtired
baby?
Signs of an Overtired Baby
- Low tolerance for frustration or discomfort
- Frequent meltdowns (for older babies)
- Short naps as opposed to full naps
- Falling asleep outside of naptime: in the stroller, in a high chair, etc.
- Difficulty settling down to sleep
- Increased crying or fussiness at bedtime
- Wakes frequently during the night, wakes up early
- Wakes up screaming
An Overtired Baby is a Common
Problem
Studies indicate that more
than 25% of children will experience problems with sleeping in the first six
months of life. Infants typically develop a solid, hormonally-driven
circadian rhythm by the time they
are 12 weeks old. However, some babies take longer to develop their circadian
rhythm and struggle to get good sleep. (Their parents struggle, too!)
If
your baby wakes up screaming during the night, he or she may be overtired. When
your baby is physically fatigued from lack of sleep, their body’s
stress-response system is activated and releases stress hormones into their
bloodstream. This influx of cortisol and adrenaline makes it even more
difficult for your baby to relax and settle down to sleep. He or she may
fuss and cry. When your overtired baby finally does fall asleep, he or she may
wake frequently, wake up screaming, and/or wake up early. A vicious cycle is
created: as an overtired baby gets less quality sleep, they become more tired,
exacerbating the problem.
How To Get An Overtired Baby To sleep Better
If
your baby seems stuck in the overtired cycle, there are some things you can do
to help break the pattern. Lowering their cortisol level, the hormone
responsible for keeping people awake and alert to danger is key to helping
overtired babies sleep more. There is a reason that people have rocked and sung
lullabies to babies for centuries: these techniques work to soothe the senses!
In addition to singing and rocking your baby, try:
- Gentle swaying
- Light massage
- Dimming the lights
- Playing soft music
- Using a white noise machine or app on your phone
- Feeding*
Babies
develop quickly, and your infant will not need these supports forever! In fact,
continuing them too long can actually get in the way of developing good sleep
habits (the
Smart Sleep Coach by Pampers™ has a whole section dedicated to this). Putting your child down for a nap or
bedtime while they are sleepy, but still awake helps them learn to
fall asleep on their
own.
*Whether
you are
nursing your baby or
feeding with formula, your baby should
obviously be fed well throughout the day. However, approach the use of feeding
as the primary tactic to encourage drowsiness with caution. Sucking is relaxing
for a baby, as is being held securely against their caregiver. However, your
baby may learn to associate
feeding with falling
asleep
and form a dependence upon that to do so. The longer you continue this
practice, the more you reinforce this association. When your child is old
enough, giving them a pacifier can help break that association.
Wake Windows
A “wake window”
is a term that has risen in popularity in recent years. In a nutshell, a wake
window is simply your baby’s awake time in between their naps and their
nighttime sleeping. Being aware of the typical wake window for your baby's age
can help you support the development of your child’s circadian rhythm.
Wake window stages
- Birth to 3 months: 30 to 90 minutes
- 3 to 6 months: 75 to 120 minutes
- 6 to 8 months: 2 to 2.5 hours
- 8 to 10 months: 2 to 3 hours
- 10 to 16 months: 2/3/4 hour schedule
Typical indicators that your baby’s wake
window is coming to a close can include things such as your baby rubbing their
eyes, pulling at their ears, or yawning However, your baby may signal fatigue
in other ways, like simply becoming quieter, staring off into space, or looking
bored. You want to recognize their cues and
put them down for a nap at that point. Well-rested babies sleep better at night than overtired ones!
Early Bedtime for Overtired Babies
Babies
thrive on routine and learn to recognize cues from their environment that it is
time to sleep. Our brains understand that darkness is associated with sleep and
light with being awake. Going to bed at sundown every evening helps
set your baby’s
internal clock
and encourages the development of their circadian rhythm. Since the onset of
night can vary depending on the time of year, you can close the blinds, pull
the shades, or close the curtains to dim the light in the room and maintain a
regular bedtime. If you need help getting on a set
bedtime routine, the
Smart Sleep Coaching by Pampers™ app can help you set timely reminders to help keep you on track.
Bringing
the noise level down helps minimize stimulation and encourages your baby to
note the darker environment and other calming cues in the routine, such as a
warm bath or lullaby. Consistently doing the same activities in the same order
every night helps your baby learn what to expect and respond accordingly.
Although
it can be tempting to try, skipping naps or keeping your baby up later in an
effort to make them sleep longer at night almost always backfires. When your
little one becomes overtired, the release of stress hormones will simply cause
them to resist sleep more and become fussier. When they finally do go to sleep,
they will likely sleep lightly and wake frequently, leading to the overtired
baby cycle.
The Importance of Sleep for Your Overtired Baby
Adults simply feel sluggish or lethargic when needing
sleep. However, your overtired baby will most often be irritable and
overactive. Because your baby is developing quickly, both physically and
mentally, lack of sleep can have a significant effect. Long-term sleep problems
can negatively affect your child later in life, so it is important to address
sleeping issues quickly. According to the
American Academy of Sleep
Medicine
, good sleep has been linked to improved attention, behavior,
learning, memory, emotional regulation, quality of life, and mental and
physical health.
If you have made every effort to help your infant sleep
better, but they're still having problems, they may be
experiencing a sleep regression stage or going through a
developmental leap.
These rough patches are usually short-lived. Staying consistent can help your
baby transition back to better sleep as quickly as they can.