5 Reasons Your Baby is Taking Short Naps
/As a parent, one of the most anticipated times of the day is when your little one takes a nap. It’s a time to get some household tasks done, tend to your other children or have some time to yourself. However, sometimes these naps are ending before you can finish your coffee or even think about taking a shower.
If this sounds familiar to you, let’s look a little closer at the causes of, and solutions to, those abbreviated naps.
One thing to understand before we get started is that babies, just like the rest of us, sleep in cycles where they go from light sleep to deep sleep and back again. There are a couple of notable differences between adult sleep cycles and baby sleep cycles, but the important one in this case is the length. Baby sleep cycles are shorter, and one cycle typically takes about 35-50 minutes. So now that we’ve got that established, let’s dive in into some common reasons that your baby is taking short naps…
Your baby is waking up somewhere different than where they fell asleep.
Putting your down for naps in their crib is an important step towards long, restful daytime naps. Imagine if you fell asleep in your bedroom, and then woke up a couple of hours later in your car, or in your living room. It would leave you feeling confused and alarmed! It’s a similar scenario for babies. When they fall asleep in the car seat or the stroller, and then rouse slightly at the end of that first sleep cycle, they can have a very difficult time getting back to sleep.
As much as possible, get your little one into the crib while they’re still awake, and let them fall asleep in the same spot they’ll find themselves when they wake up. Developing that association will help them get back to sleep when they wake up or start to stir after they come to the end of a cycle.Your baby is having help falling asleep.
This falls along the same lines, but I want to point it out for anyone whose baby might be napping in the crib, but still waking up after a short stint.
So, let’s say you’re putting baby down for their naps in their crib, but you’re helping them get to sleep first. Rocking, shushing, singing, nursing, or feeding them to sleep are the most common examples of how a caregiver might “help” a baby drift off for a nap.
While all those techniques might seem effective on the surface, they’re often a short-term solution to the issue. Baby gets accustomed to those “props” in order to get to sleep, and soon enough, they have a hard time falling asleep without them. So when they go down for a nap, then come to the end of that first sleep cycle, they wake up and need that prop again in order to get back to sleep. And if it’s not immediately available, they can get agitated, start to cry, get themselves worked up, and then getting back to sleep is very difficult.Baby is overtired.
It may sound counterintuitive, but an overtired baby can struggle to settle into a deep and prolonged nap. There’s a common misconception that the more tired we are, the more our bodies will want to sleep. In fact, when we put off sleep and go into a state of “overtiredness,” our system assumes that we’re staying awake for a reason and does what it can to help us out, bumping up our cortisol production and stopping melatonin secretion, both of which and major hindrances to a deep, restful sleep. Pay close attention to your baby’s sleep cues and stay within normal age-appropriate wake windows to avoid this.
Their sleep environment is not ideal.
The simple fact is that daytime is just not as conducive to sleep as nighttime. It’s bright out, there’s more noise, and sleep pressure is just not as high during the day. With these factors working against us, it’s important to create an ideal sleep environment. Make sure the room is as dark as you can get it – you should not be able to see your hand in front of your face. I also recommend using a sound machine to help block out any external noises.
Developmental changes.
As babies grow and reach developmental milestones, their sleep patterns may shift. Teething, learning to crawl, language bursts, etc can all impact nap duration. Being attuned to your baby’s milestones can help you understand and adjust to their changing sleep needs.
While short naps can be super frustrating for both parents and babies, understanding and addressing the underlying reasons can lead to longer, more restful naps. By being attuned to your baby’s needs, creating a conducive sleep environment, and working on independent sleep, you can help your baby achieve those long, beautiful naps, fostering a happier and well-rested little one!
