Day and night confusion

Newborns have these erratic sleep patterns and nocturnal schedules in the early weeks and these behaviours are normal and very much expected. This phenomenon of being alert during the night and being more sleepy during the day is often referred to as day and night confusion. This occurs due to an imbalance in their immature circadian rhythm, resulting in their internal body clocks not yet being fully established. Besides this, there are other factors that contribute to their day and night confusion.

Melatonin production Melatonin is the sleep hormone and in the first few weeks, newborns rely on breastmilk for melatonin and they don't start producing this on their own until around 3 months.

Pregnancy During pregnancy, your activities and constant movements “rocked” your baby to sleep throughout the day. Then at night, as you lay sleeping, your stillness caused your baby to wake up.

How to correct it

Cap their naps

Newborns have a tendency to sleep for extended periods, and capping their naps at 2 hours can help reverse their day and night confusion. By doing so, they are more likely to consume sufficient feeds during the day. I recommend following an "eat-play-sleep" routine to ensure your baby gets full feeds rather than snacking. Additionally, capping their naps allows for full wake windows, which helps build sleep pressure. During these awake times, it's also crucial to engage with your baby in stimulating activities.

Expose them to light and sound

Make sure to let plenty of natural light into your home during the day, and actively engage in playtime and interaction with your baby during their awake times. Keeping the environment bright and lively during the day can help reinforce the difference between day and night. When they are awake, also expose them to the outdoors, letting them feel the breeze on their face while enjoying the sunshine can also be beneficial.

Make it dark at night

Opposite to daytime, we want to create darkness at night to help distinguish it as a different part of the day. Make the room pitch black, which will also be comforting for them as it replicates the womb. As you get closer to their nighttime sleep, dim the lights, speak softly, and minimise stimulation during feeds and diaper changes. This will aid your baby in distinguishing between day and night.

Bedtime routine

Even though babies may feed quite frequently during the night in the beginning, establishing a "bedtime" routine is essential. This routine should be implemented, even if they continue to wake up soon after and multiple times throughout the night. Having a bedtime routine encourages consistency and helps to distinguish between day and night.

Start your day at the same time

Every morning, start your day around 7 - 8am. While babies may naturally wake up earlier than this, try to aim for 6 am as the earliest waking time. The goal is to divide the entire 24 hours into two distinct parts - day and night, each consisting of a 12-hour block. For instance, if they wake up at 7am, you can start the night 12-hour block at 7pm. The purpose of this approach is to set a clear expectation for the baby that there are distinct periods of day and night.

Purchase my newborn guide

My 0-3 month sleep guide is a great resource to establish a strong sleep foundation and address day and night confusion, along with many other aspects of the first few weeks. It's designed to help parents enjoy and cherish the newborn stage rather than dread it. While the first few weeks can be overwhelming and blurry, with the right guidance, it doesn't have to be that way.

FAQ with day and night confusion

How long before it's corrected

The duration of day and night confusion varies from one baby to another. Typically, as your baby's circadian rhythm matures over the first few weeks, you'll observe a gradual improvement in their sleep patterns. As mentioned earlier, around 3 months of age, babies start producing their own melatonin, which significantly helps with improvement in their sleep. This natural development in melatonin production plays a vital role in regulating their sleep-wake cycles and contributes to more consolidated and restful sleep for the baby.

Should they nap in the daylight with sound?

No, we want to make it dark! We only want the hustle and bustle when they're awake and to keep it dark during all sleep times. The ideal environment for napping is a dark and quiet one (with a sound machine playing). Keeping the room dark during naps helps signal to the baby's body that it's time to rest and reinforces the difference between daytime awake periods and nighttime sleep. Minimising noise and distractions during naps can also help your baby sleep more peacefully and have better sleep quality.

Even when my baby's days and nights are corrected, will they still wake frequently at night?

Yes, they will still wake frequently at night and this is because babies have small stomachs and experience rapid growth, which necessitates frequent feeds for proper nourishment.

The goal is to establish a slightly wider duration between waking periods at night compared to daytime.

Written by Alexandra Selekos I'm the founder of Babee Dreams, a certified sleep consultant and a mum of three. My approach is based on studies, training through The Sleep Consulting Academy, successful outcomes experienced by those who have used my methods and the instincts of a mother. My approach will help your baby achieve their best sleep, whilst always feeling reassured, loved and never neglected.