how to improve your baby’s naps
Naps are crucial for infants as they not only provide relaxation but also contribute significantly to their development. During nap times, babies undergo physical growth and brain maturation. These short periods of sleep help regulate mood, improve attention span, and enhance learning. Also, regular naps support the establishment of a healthy sleep routine, which can result in better nighttime sleep. Therefore, ensuring that your infant has regular, restful naps is essential for their overall health and development.
why do naps feel more difficult to get right than nighttime sleep?
Naps can sometimes be harder to manage than night sleep. This is because two systems regulate our sleep: the circadian rhythm and sleep pressure. These two systems work together to balance our need for sleep with our need for wakefulness.
The circadian rhythm is controlled by light and darkness. When our eyes are exposed to light, a signal is sent to our brain to suppress melatonin (the sleepy hormone) and produce cortisol which keeps us awake and alert. When it’s dark the opposite happens; a signal is sent to our brain to produce melatonin and suppress cortisol, which makes us sleepy.
Sleep pressure, also known as “sleep drive” is our desire for sleep. It’s controlled by a chemical called adenosine, which our body produces while we’re awake. The longer we’re awake, the more adenosine we have in our system, the more sleep pressure we build, and the more likely we can fall asleep.
Night sleep tends to be easier because both systems work together to keep your baby sleeping with the sleep pressure that was built throughout the day and with the production of melatonin. However, during the day no melatonin is being produced which means that your baby’s desire for sleep is dependent on the amount of sleep pressure in their system before a nap.
How to improve baby’s naps
Here are some tips to help you manage your baby’s naps:
1. Be patient: Naps are harder to manage than night sleep, so be patient during the process.
2. Timing is everything: Because we depend so much on sleep pressure to help baby sleep (which is dependent on how long they are awake), timing is everything. If you put your baby down too early they won’t be tired enough and will most likely protest to sleep. At the same time, if you keep your baby up for too long they become overtired, which makes it a lot harder for them to fall asleep, as they become tired but wired. The best thing to do is follow appropriate wake windows and your baby’s sleep cues to determine the optimal time for naps.
3. Perfect sleep environment: To make sure your little one has successful naps, it’s important to set up an environment that is proper for sleep: completely dark, soothing sound (white/brow noise), and perfect temperature.
4. Establish a nap routine: Try and replicate your baby’s bedtime routine for nap time to help cue your little one that it’s time to go to sleep. You can skip steps if it’s too long, but I recommend keeping the last three steps during your nap routine to be familiar with them.
How do I know when it’s time to drop a nap?
Dropping a nap can be a big transition for your baby and I always advise parents hold off on dropping a nap as long as possible until it’s the obvious time to do so. If your child is refusing a nap, consider whether you can shorten the other nap(s) to still allow for the nap that is getting tricky before eliminating it altogether. In addition to capping naps, you can opt for a later bedtime to preserve that last nap for a while longer. Once you feel that you’ve exhausted those two options, it may be time to drop a nap.
When dropping a nap, you don’t necessarily have to eliminate it completely. In fact, I don’t recommend it. Do it gradually; for example, you can increase the wake window by 15 minutes each day until they no longer need that one extra nap (watch for your child’s cues, they might need need a day or a couple of days with just that extra 15 minutes).
If your child is happy and engaging on one day and you decide to skip a nap, but the next day they are cranky and clearly need that nap, let them have the nap — IT’S OKAY! Each day can (and most likely, will!) look different. Your child is constantly growing, and it’s important to be understanding and flexible so that they can thrive.
Written by Jaqueline Himelfarb, certified pediatric sleep consultant and newborn care specialist and founder of Ready For Rest. If you’re interested in Jaque’s support (either in person or virtually), book a complimentary consultation call with her here.