Tired or Bored?
Is Your Child Tired or Bored? 4 Tips to Ensure Your Child Really is Tired
Baby’s tired cues can be really helpful in guiding you to their ideal wake window. However, often around 5–6 months, some babies start doing something that really trips us parents up—they show sleep cues simply because they are bored!
There is a lot of fear around babies getting overtired, which leads to poor sleep, so parents are often quick to jump at the first sign of a sleep cue and begin to support their child to sleep. But, if their little one is in fact bored and not tired, this will lead to either:
A long process until the child falls asleep
They might fall asleep (due to enough sleep pressure) but will not stay asleep
Not only is sleep pressure created by the time that a baby is awake, but also how much energy is used up during that time. As your baby gets older, they need more awake time and more stimulation.
By increasing their sleep pressure, you can be confident your child is actually tired and not just bored. To do this we focus on extending the wake window and getting some extra stimulation throughout the day.
4 Tips to Increase Sleep Pressure:
Get outside! Fresh air and sunlight are good for both adults and babies alike.
Stimulate your child by offering a different toy, walk around the house or even change the room you normally have them in.
Plan to spend most of your 1:1 time with them at the END of the wake window
Use water play to help release the build-up of energy and benefits of sensory play. Children benefit from the relaxing and repetitive nature of scooping, pouring, and running water through their hands.