Does your baby fall asleep at bedtime only to wake up 30 to 50 minutes later? This is called a false start.
It can be really frustrating when you finally get your little one to bed only to have them wake up again so soon. It’s as if they’re treating bedtime like a nap.
Here are 3 causes of false starts and what you can do about them:
1. OVER Tiredness
If your baby hasn’t had enough daytime sleep or if they’re going to bed too late, they can become overtired. And when a baby becomes overtired, their brain starts producing more cortisol, which can make it difficult for them to fall asleep for bedtime initially and can also cause a full wake up at the end of a sleep cycle (which is typically between 30 to 50 minutes for babies).
2. UNDER Tiredness
On the other hand, if your baby has had too much daytime sleep or if they’re going to bed too early, it can mean that not enough sleep pressure has built up to keep them sleeping for long enough. Basically, your baby’s tired enough to fall asleep at bedtime, but not tired enough to stay asleep. And so, they wake up at the end of a sleep cycle (30 to 50 minutes later) and now they’re awake until that sleep pressure builds back up.
*Make sure your baby’s total daytime sleep and the awake window between last nap and bedtime are appropriate for their age and development. Here’s a reference guide for your baby’s sleep:
(Please keep in mind this is a general guideline and that every child is unique.)
3. Has Help Falling Asleep
If your baby doesn’t know how to fall asleep on their own, they’re likely going to wake up shortly after you’ve put them to bed (again, after a 30- to 50-minute sleep cycle) and need help getting back to sleep. Not only can this be the cause of false starts at bedtime, but also multiple wake-ups in the night.
*By helping your baby learn their own skills for falling asleep, they’ll be able to string together multiple sleep cycles for nice, long stretches of sleep in the evening and throughout the night.
Need help changing your sleep situation and not sure how? Get started with a Free Sleep Evaluation Call to learn how I can help your family get the sleep you need and deserve.