Short naps — a common sleep challenge

If only babies knew that nap time was really for parents to have a break, right?! When you’ve just settled down with a coffee to catch-up on the latest episode of Love is Blind and your baby wakes from their nap… been there! Yes, daytime sleep is important for a baby to ensure they are filling their sleep tank and coming within range to their recommended age-appropriate 24-hour sleep totals. You can read more about those here. If your baby is taking short naps and it is not negatively impacting you and your family routine/schedule, there is no need to read further. Continue on with your unique sleep journey! However, if unpredictable and short naps are frequently occurring and often leave you feeling frustrated and burnt out, let’s navigate through them. 

What you’ll learn from this blog:

  • Why naps can be challenging for many babies 
  • Common reasons for short naps
  • How to handle a short nap
  • Next steps for a successful sleep journey

baby awake after a short nap

Why naps can be challenging for many babies

To really understand why short naps are a frequent sleep challenge, we need to look more closely into the science of sleep. 

As humans, our sleep/wake cycle is controlled by our circadian rhythm (also known as our “biological clock”), our homeostatic sleep drive and also numerous hormonal responses (melatonin, cortisol, etc.). Our rhythm is synchronized with the rising and falling of the sun (unless you’re a regular shift worker then your rhythm may be a bit different!), but essentially our bodies are programmed to be awake in the day and resting at night. For some families, later bedtimes naturally occur and as a result, a child’s unique circadian rhythm will adjust to this. 

When we try to get daytime sleep, no matter the age, we are going against the biological clock set in place for us, but we also know adenosine (a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate sleep by building sleep pressure) is also growing during awake time. When your baby has been awake for a certain amount of time, their sleep pressure is growing to the point where they need sleep. Unfortunately, their hormonal response doesn’t always get this message and this is where daytime sleep challenges can occur. You can read more about sleep pressure in this blog to get a better understanding of why it’s important and how it impacts sleep. 

The main hormones our body uses for sleep/wake are melatonin, which is produced and released in the evening/night, and cortisol/adrenaline, which are released during the day to help keep us awake and alert. 

When we consider the hormone factors and our smart circadian rhythm, it makes sense why daytime sleep can be challenging sometimes for babies! Their bodies just aren’t primed for sleep like they are in the evening. So let’s talk about some tips on how to support daytime sleep and guide your nap journey. 

book on bed titled "but first we nap". list of 3 books to read after a short nap.

5 common reasons for short naps

1. Environment

  • Is your baby’s room dark? Like SUPER dark! This will help support their body to wind down for sleep as it replicates nighttime. 
  • Darkness will also help your baby during their transition between sleep cycles as some are sensitive to light and if they see it, their body will signal them it’s time to wake after just one sleep cycle.
  • Check out this post on ideal sleep space, too.

2. Too tired? Or not tired enough?

  • Both can cause short naps. Following age-appropriate wake windows (check out my free guide on this!) will help guide your baby’s daytime sleep journey.
  • If your baby is generally falling asleep easily and quickly (5-15 minutes) before a nap, you’re on the right track.
  • Understanding your child’s unique sleep needs (that sleep pressure blog will be helpful) will ensure you’re building sufficient sleep pressure to get that glorious chunky nap.

3. Physical activity

  • For some babies, if they’ve spent a chunk of time in a stroller or car seat during awake time, they may not have had enough opportunity to expel energy to set them up for nap success.
  • A pacifier can sometimes be a sneaky way babies relieve sleep pressure also since it’s stimulating the vagus nerve which is a calming one (that’s why a pacifier is a useful soothing strategy for some babies!) So if baby is using a paci and you’re in a cycle of hard nap starts and short naps, you may consider removing the paci for a period of time during their wake window to see if that helps. Check out this blog on pacifiers to help you on this.

4. Age appropriate

  • Nap consolidation takes time. Shorter nap length is a common and appropriate daytime sleep response for babies 6-months and under. You may find they are able to extend one nap (usually the first of the day) and then the other 2 (or 3+) are shorter. 
  • Another thing to consider is if your baby frequently has naps-on-the-go, which are typically only 1 sleep cycle, they may just lack practice of extending sleep in a crib setting. This is obviously an individualized approach to naps and a sleep journey as every family is doing what is best for them!

5. Assistance 

  • Is your baby struggling with staying asleep after a transfer or between a sleep cycle? They may be looking for the exact criteria that was present for the onset of sleep in order to continue to sleep. This is not always the case but something to consider when evaluating short naps!
  • This is also likely why they will nap 2+ hours in your arms but last 20 minutes in the crib. They just don’t have the practice to get a chunky one on their own.

How to handle a short nap

Ok, you’ve got the baby down for a nap and then they wake 20-minutes later… Now what?!

  1. If it aligns with your goals and sleep journey, you can attempt to assist them back to sleep! This may work and it may not because they’ve released some sleep pressure. Try for ~15 minutes and if it doesn’t take, move on with the day. 
  2. If it aligns with your preferences, sleep journey and your baby is cuing you they’re ok in their sleep space (babbling, light whining, etc.), pause and give them space. Give them the opportunity to settle back into sleep. It may happen. It may not. But you’re giving them the practice opportunity to drift back to sleep themselves. 
  3. If the short nap is a one-off scenario, no need to panic and no need to go drastically change schedules and wake windows. Just get them up and *maybe* shorten the next window by 15 minutes if they are cueing you they are sleepy. I wouldn’t shorten the WW by too much more than 15 minutes as this may perpetuate the short nap cycle. 
  4. If short naps (and not the last nap of the day) are becoming a routine thing, after 3-5 days and evaluating the pattern, begin to shift wake window time by 15-minutes shorter or longer depending on your situation. If it’s the last nap of the day, it may be time for a nap transition!

Next steps to a successful sleep journey

If you’ve been navigating short naps for a while and running out of steam, book a 30-minute support call and I will help you evaluate all aspects and where changes can be made. Short naps are an individualized challenge that can require an individualized response – I got you!

If your baby’s nap schedule is short and it’s working well for you, then that’s ok! Unique baby and family = unique sleep needs.

 

Wishing you a happy nap day!

Chelsea

 

baby sleep consultant in Hamilton, Ontario

Chelsea is Mom of 2 young kids and a Certified Baby, Toddler and Child Sleep Consultant supporting families within Hamilton and beyond with hands-on, no cry-it-out, responsive methods. She has a Master’s of Professional Education and over 10 years of professional experience supporting families in the community. She works collaboratively with families to empower them with the confidence and tools they need to reach their unique sleep goals. Hear from other rested families here and book a free call with Chelsea here to discuss how she can support your family’s journey to more sleep.

By Published On: September 30, 2023Categories: Baby Sleep, Naps