If you find yourself wondering why your baby is taking such short naps, know that you’re not alone! Many parents feel frustrated about managing to get their little darling down for a nap and then having them wake up just minutes later. This will be confusing and tiring, especially when your baby seems to need some more rest than that. The good news is that short naps are often a normal part of a baby’s development.
When you understand more about the motives behind it, you can know how to get through that period better. In this guide, we will consider 6 common reasons for “Why is my baby taking short naps” and give you some tips on how to lengthen them for more restful sleep.
Why Is My Baby Taking Short Naps?
Short naps can be frustrating for both the baby and the caregiver, but they are very normal in early development. Here are 6 key causes of “Why is my baby taking short naps”.
The Baby Is Under 4 Months Old
Babies in the first 4 months of life have not yet established a regular sleep cycle. Newborns’ sleep cycles are much shorter than older babies and they only last about 30-45 minutes. This is because their sleep is generally lighter and they have not formed a systematic nap pattern yet.
Thus, you need to be patient during this phase. Parents can try to let the baby sleep in a swaddle as it can increase comfort for the baby. Brief naps are typical at this age, and they will lengthen with the baby’s growth.
The Baby Isn’t Tired Enough To Sleep
Babies sometimes have short naps simply because they are not tired enough. When a baby is too well-rested or hasn’t been awake long enough between naps, they might wake up after just a 20 to 30-minute doze.
Wake windows do change with age, but most babies by about 4 to 6 months need about 2 to 2.5 hours of wake time between naps. Engage them in various activities, such as tummy time or just light rough-and-tumble play, to get them tired for a good nap.
The Baby Is Too Tired To Sleep
However, an over-tired baby may find it hard to go to sleep. It has been documented that when parents let babies become over-tired, there is the production of cortisol in the body making them extremely aware of their surroundings1. Thus, it becomes very difficult for them to sleep. Without question, these stressful hormones can interfere with the proper sleep pattern and probably cause a baby to be up earlier than expected.
Therefore, what you ought to do is observe very closely for some of the following signs of sleep readiness e.g. yawning, rubbing eyes, or fussy behavior. Then try to place him down for a nap before he looks very tired. An overtired baby usually does short naps and simply changing their napping times may be effective.
The Baby Is Hungry
In many cases, babies take a short nap and wake up so soon can be attributed to hunger. Infants particularly those 6 months and below have very little tummies and often have to be fed. Of course, a hungry baby will not keep sleeping that long.
Make sure to feed the baby 30-45 minutes before the baby’s naptime in order to ensure that they will be well-fed and comfortable. Therefore, they will not awaken soon after due to hunger. When the baby is about 4-6 months of age, he should be fed every 2-3 hours.
The Environment Isn’t Suitable For Sleeping
“Why is my baby only taking short naps?” The environment will play an important role in the quality of a baby’s sleep. If the room is too bright, noisy, too hot, or cold, your baby will most likely wake up before they have had enough rest. Especially, it’s difficult for babies to sleep during fireworks or thunderstorms.
Make the room comfortable for your baby to sleep. You can consider using blackout curtains, a white noise machine, and adjusting the room temperatures around 68-72°F. A quiet and darkened room can help your baby sleep longer.
It Is The Third Nap In Day
The third nap is also naturally shorter, especially with a baby who is around 6–8 months. As your baby grows older, his sleeping needs gradually alter and the third nap tends to get a bit more similar to a “cat nap“. Your baby may be sleeping less during this nap because bedtime is near and he requires less rest.
If your baby consistently takes a very short third nap, try adjusting their general napping pattern. Gradually shorten the third nap, and make their bedtime a little bit earlier if this helps. If they are over 9 months, it may be time to drop from 3 to 2 longer naps during their day.
How Is A Too Short Nap?
It is considered “too short” if a nap lasts less than 40 minutes. Ideally, a baby should complete one sleep cycle, which takes roughly about 50–60 minutes in newborns and goes up to even 90 minutes for older babies. Where the wake-up time for your baby occurs before the completion of a full cycle, they miss out on deeper, restorative sleep stages that help them in growth and development.
Dr. Deborah MacNamara, clinical counselor and author of Rest, Play, Grow says:
“A nap shorter than 40 minutes often does not provide enough time for babies to enter restorative sleep, which is crucial for their emotional regulation and cognitive development.”
Too short naps make for cranky or overtired babies because they haven’t had enough rest to revitalize. This generally means having a fussy baby during the day. Your baby will even have more difficulty sleeping during subsequent naps or bedtime.
FAQs
As babies grow, their naps will get longer. Between 4–6 months, babies begin to consolidate into 2 or 3 naps, which can be 1–2 hours in length. By 6–9 months, they usually take 2 naps scheduled a day, lasting about 1–2 hours. Most babies take 2 solid naps totaling up to 2 hours between 9–12 months and transition to 1 afternoon nap of 1.5–3 hours after 12 months.
It is based on some factors. If they are still showing signs of tiredness, such as fussiness, or rubbing their eyes, it is normally a good idea to try to help them return to sleep. You can do this by soothing them with gentle rocking, patting, or using white noise to create a sleep-conductive environment. However, if your baby seems alert and satisfied with the short nap, it might be good to let them stay awake and enjoy playtime.
Bottom Line
Knowing “Why is my baby taking short naps” can help you create and schedule the best sleep environment for your baby. Remember that every baby has different sleep needs. And it’s normal for babies to take short naps during development. If anxiety still bothers you, individual consultation with your pediatrician will help you.
Source
- What Is Cortisol? (2022, December 13). WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-cortisol ↩︎
