Sleep Hygiene

Sleep hygiene refers to the healthy sleep habits, behaviours and environmental factors that can be fine-tuned to promote better sleep. More specifically, it can be broken down into four elements:

·      Tired signs and cues

·      Sleep environment

·      Pre-sleep rituals (wind down routines)

·      Timing of sleep

Why is sleep hygiene important? By making sure the above elements are on point, and align with your baby’s age, we can create optimal conditions for your baby to sleep. This can make it easier for them to fall asleep and stay asleep. Additionally, if you want to improve your little one’s sleep, but aren’t quite ready to dive into sleep training, you can work on creating really good sleep hygiene and see whether that is enough to make the changes you want to see. Lets look at these four elements in a bit more detail!

Tired signs & cues in context: All babies have slightly different tired cues and after getting to know each other in the first few weeks, you will be able to pick-up on your little one’s tired cues and get them to sleep before becoming overtired. Tired signs may include: Less interaction, decreased activity, glazed eyes, rubbing their eyes, pulling ears, slower movements, less social or vocal, reduced sucking, less interest in people or toys, and yawning. Knowing your baby’s cues are important, but so is putting these cues into context. An example of this is yawning! If your babe is yawning and they are coming up to the end of their awake time, they are likely tired! However, if they have just woken from their nap and they yawn, it is unlikely that they are still tired.

Sleep Environment: A sleep environment that is conducive to good sleep includes: a dark room, white noise, good temperature & an appropriate sleep space/bedding. (check out the sleep environment blog here!)

Pre-sleep Rituals: A consistent wind down routine before naps, and an extended version before bedtime helps your baby recognise that it time to get ready for sleep, and they can begin relaxing and calm down. (Check out the blog on wind down routines here!)

Timing of sleep:  There is a fine line between putting your baby down under tired, or overtired. Following an age-appropriate routine can help make sure you’re putting your babe down in their sweet spot for falling asleep. Going to sleep under tired may mean the fight going to sleep or fall asleep easily but only take a short nap and wake happy. Alternatively, if they go to sleep overtired, they may fight sleep due to elevated cortisol levels, and also take short naps; but wake upset.