Sleep plays a vital role in the development of children, as children who get adequate sleep are likely to be more creative, concentrated, energetic, and positive. But should little kids sleep as long as they can, or do parents need to wake them up?
The answer is “You, as a parent, need to wake a sleeping child up”, and here are 4 reasons for this seemingly ridiculous action.
4 reasons why you should wake a sleeping child up
1. Change baby’s sleeping shifts
The sleeping time of a baby, ideally, should fit the schedule of the family. It is a dilemma when the baby needs silence while you need to do household chores. Then you cannot do anything just to keep the space quiet.
Waking a child up at specific times will help them adapt to the routine: they are awake when family members are active, and fall asleep when the house is quieter. This adaptation helps maintain a balance, making it easier for both the child and parents to be active well and rest properly.
Changing the sleeping shifts of a baby can help to enhance the family bond. When both baby and parents are awake, this is the right time to play, talk, and enjoy every moment with each other. It nurtures the sense of loving and being loved in kids from their first days.
2. Maintain consistent baby bedtime
A consistent bedtime routine is essential for the well-being and development of kids. If you are allowing your child to sleep too long during the day, their ability to fall asleep at night will somehow be interfered with, leading to sleep regression. Therefore, waking a child up from such long naps ensures that their bedtime is protected. When it comes to their usual sleeping time, they can fall asleep more easily.
Regular bedtimes also better the quality of baby sleeping. Kids who go to bed at the same time every night tend to have longer and more restful sleep periods. As a result, their cognitive and physical development are protected and improved.
3. Protect the internal clock of a baby
As mentioned, waking a sleeping child gently during the day can help them fall asleep more easily at night. If a child sleeps too much during the day, their nighttime sleep can become fragmented and restless.
A well-timed wake-up can help to improve the internal clock of your child, as you are aligning their sleep patterns more closely with the natural day-night cycle. Therefore, the sleeping schedule is more stable and predictable. You do not have to wake up at midnight just because your baby has been awake and intervenes in your deep sleep.
4. Prevent the baby from unsafe positions
Your kid has the best and safest sleep on back. The surrounding space should be clear, but have sufficient covering, like pillows, to help them avoid being hurt by hard stuff.
However, sometimes, there are extraordinary situations. For example, your baby falls asleep when playing, and there are many toys around, which can hurt him, or even suffocate him in the worst case.
You should train your baby to be familiar with sleeping in bed as well. When he starts to feel sleepy, gently take him to the bed to ensure his comfort and safety.
Some tips to wake a sleeping child up gently
When waking a sleeping child up, you may face his irritation and crying. That’s the reason why you need to learn how to wake your baby up in the most gentle ways, and below are some suggestions:
1. Instead of “attacking” your baby with sudden light, you should gradually increase the volume of light within the space.
2. Then you can very slightly rub his back, arms, and legs. A gentle touch will not annoy the baby and is similar to a massage to help his body be more comfortable.
3. Mommy and daddy, use a soft tone and voice to call the nickname of your girl or boy. Then he will recognize: “It is time to wake up.” You can play some soft music as well.
4. Remember not to rush, especially when your child is in a deep sleep. You should start by gently rousing them, then gradually increasing the level of activity until they are fully awake.
5. A signal to wake-up time is a familiar activity upon waking, like a diaper change, face wash, feeding, or cuddling. Still, keep your voice soft, but you can increase the light in the room.
Conclusion
Yes, most of us, as parents, want to let the baby sleep and wake up naturally. However, at some stage, we need to wake a sleeping child up to ensure his or her healthy internal clock, ensuring the development of cognitive and physical health. We hope you do not have to feel guilty and confused when disrupting your baby’s sleep anymore.
