One of the most challenging aspects of child sleep is night wakings. It can be frustrating for parent and child, alike. So, why is your child not sleeping through the night? There are a handful of common reasons why your child is not sleeping through the night, including inappropriate wake windows, needing comfort, a poor sleep environment, hunger and more. Luckily, many of these causes can be addressed with awareness and intentionality!
What are Night Wakings?
Night wakings occur any time your baby or child wakes in the middle of the night. It can often cause them to have trouble falling back asleep. Although night wakings can be normal, excessive night wakings can be frustrating (and exhausting). When addressing your child’s night wakings, it’s critical to understand why they are happening in the first place.
The Benefits of Nighttime Sleep
No matter our age, nighttime sleep is critical for human health, wellbeing, and development. Since babies and children develop and grow at rapid rates, some argue that sleep during our adolescent years is even more integral. At every age and stage, sleep allows our bodies to:
- Consolidate memories
- Detox waste and toxins
- Conserve energy
- Heal tissue
- Modulate immune function
- And more
When specifically considering our babies and children, sleep is necessary for:
- Supporting creativity
- Concentration and focus
- Problem-solving
- Memory development
- Energy levels
- Mood stability
- Milestone development
- Appetite regulation
- And much more
That said, if your child is consistently waking through the night, you’re likely feeling frustrated and overwhelmed. You might understand just how important sleep is for your child, but they don’t. And, night after night, you find them waking you in the early morning hours when they’re unable to fall back asleep. So, why is your child unable to sleep through the night? Is this a normal challenge for children?
It’s important to know that it’s very normal for babies to not sleep through the night. We cannot stop them from waking when they have needs; they are meant to wake to signal their needs. Waking throughout the night to feed and for comfort is completely developmentally appropriate, and you should not be concerned if your child is able to be supported back to sleep with relative ease. However, sometimes babies and children are waking excessively, and this could be caused to a variety of factors. With holistic sleep support, our goal is to eliminate unnecessary nighttime wakes, while still being responsive and respectful of our child’s needs.
There are several possible reasons your child is waking at night– some of which are able to be addressed with a few tweaks and changes!
Why Your Child is Waking at Night
When your child frequently wakes through the night, it can be disruptive to the entire home. The first step to addressing night wakings is to understand why it’s happening. These are seven common causes your children is not sleeping through the night:
- Hunger– Despite common belief, it is biologically normal and appropriate for infants to need nighttime nutrition. The same can be true for toddlers, too. If your child is waking from hunger pains, consider a mid-night feed with breastmilk or formula to help them get back to sleep.
- Temperature– Is your child waking from being too hot or cold? Aim to dress your child similarly to you at bedtime. If you’re comfortably sleeping in loose, light pajamas through the night, your child will likely benefit from wearing loose, light sleep clothes, too. Seasonal weather changes will often dictate how heavy (or light) you and your child should be clothed through the night. Also, make sure your child is wearing breathable fabrics like cotton, bamboo, or wool. Avoid synthetic fabrics as they trap in heat and cause temperature dysregulation. Ideally, overnight temperatures should be set between 62-70 degrees F.
- Light– Light signals to the body that it is time to be awake. Exposure to too much light in the evening or overnight hours can negatively impact melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. Even the smallest amount of light on your clock, baby monitor, or sound machine can be disruptive to sleep for you and your child. Block out all light as best as possible. Consider investing in blackout shades for windows and cover any lights on electronic devices.
- Breathing Difficulties– Any kind of physical airway obstruction can negatively impact sleep, as will disordered breathing. The most common causes for breathing difficulties include: tongue ties and enlarged adenoids or tonsils. If you suspect breathing difficulties are preventing your child from sleeping well throughout the night, consult with airway professional.
- Physical Discomfort- In addition to breathing difficulties, other physical discomforts can be to blame for night wakings. For example, periods of teething, illness, or body tension can make it hard for your little one to sleep. When it comes to chronic body tension, bodywork can be extremely helpful. Bodywork includes services such as chiropractic care, physical therapy, craniosacral fascial therapy, and craniosacral therapy.
- Desiring Contact and Comfort– It is biologically normal for babies and children to crave closeness, security, and comfort— especially at night. However, the level of closeness they need will be determined by their temperament. Babies and children that are more sensitive and persistent will likely desire to be within closer proximity to you. The Connected Bedtime eGuide is a great resource to help caregivers create connection-filled bedtime routines, so that your child feels safer and more secure as they fall asleep.
- Wake Windows- Is your child staying awake for age-appropriate wake windows during the day? Wake windows are defined as the amount of time a child is awake from waking up until they fall asleep again. Every child has slightly different wake windows, so it’s important to tune into your child’s unique tired cues to determine the best wake windows for them. Ideally, we should support our children to sleep when they are displaying early tired cues rather than waiting until late tired cues begin. This helps to avoid overtiredness. If you’d like to learn more about average wake windows for each age, make sure you download this free guide.
If you are in need of more sleep support, grab one of my comprehensive eCourses, such as The Infant Sleep Foundations eCourse or the Toddler Sleep Foundations eCourse. The Toddler Sleep Foundations eCourse includes a section on sensory processing and sleep, which is very helpful for those with a highly sensitive, and/or perceptive children. If you’d prefer 1:1 support, you can book a call or support package.
