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Is your little one wide awake in the middle of the night, not whinging, but completely alert, playful, and talkative? If so, you may be dealing with what's known as split nights.
What is a split night?
A bit different to the common whinging, half asleep kind of wakes that happen for a brief moment or the wakes that resolve with assistance going back to sleep. Split nights occur when your baby or toddler wakes up in the middle of the night and stays awake for an extended period, typically anywhere from 1 to 3 hours, before falling back asleep. Split nights are less of a once-off and more of a pattern that's formed every night. So, understanding the reasons behind them can be key to managing and preventing them.
Common causes of split nights
There are three common reasons for split nights: 1. Not building enough sleep pressure in the day - Two common contributors to this are either not getting enough daytime sleep or wake windows being too short - both leading to reduced sleep pressure. Because of this, they may not be tired enough to sleep through the night. 2. Bedtime is too early - If bedtime is too early, like 5:00pm, after 10 hours of sleep, they may wake up around 3:00am fully refreshed. Their first long stretch of sleep feels like a lengthy nap almost.
3. Learning a new skill - As babies or toddlers master new skills, their brains are processing these developments, even at night. They may wake up excited, eager to practice their new skills, disrupting their sleep when they should be resting.
How to resolve them
Review their naps
Is each nap too long, or are they having too many catnaps? Are you squeezing in a nap when it might be time to drop one? This all depends on your little one’s age. Make sure their daytime sleep is spread across the right number of naps for their age. If they’re catnapping, it might be time to remove a nap and focus on lengthening the remaining ones. I have a free guide, "7 Tips to Improve Naps", that you can download.
If you’re unsure how many naps your little one should be having, or how much total daytime sleep they need, here’s a rough guide to follow: Number of naps
4 to 7 months = 3 naps
7 to 8 months = 3 > 2 naps
9 to 13 months = 2 naps
13 to 15 months = 2 > 1
16 months + =1 nap
> means when they usually drop a nap at this age
Total daytime sleep
4 to 7 months = 3 to 4.5 hours
8 to 12 months = 2.5 to 3 hours
12/13 - 24 months = 1.5 to 3 hours
*these are guides only*
Adjust bedtime
Try to aim for bedtime to fall between 7 - 8pm (for your little one to be asleep by then). The earliest bedtime should be around 6 - 6:30pm, but only in specific situations—such as when they are dropping naps and need an earlier bedtime during this transition, or if their naps haven’t gone well that day.
Keep in mind that melatonin levels peak between 7-8pm, which means this is the ideal window to help them naturally fall asleep quicker and stay asleep longer.
If you're working to push bedtime later, do it gradually by adding 15 minutes each night to avoid overtiredness and help them adjust gradually.
Ensure enough activity during the day
Make sure they are getting enough physical and mental stimulation during the day. Outdoor play, walks, or engaging activities can help build up enough sleep pressure to prevent those night wakings.
It’s also important to practice new skills during the day, so they are less exciting. This will help reduce the urge to practice in the middle of the night.
Why don't they usually cry?
Because they aren’t waking for comfort, a feed or the inability to find a dummy. They’re awake because they don’t have enough sleep pressure to stay asleep or they're excited about a new skill. Usually, once they’re awake for a while, they build enough sleep pressure to go back to sleep.
What to expect when fixing split nights
It’s important to remember that solving split nights usually takes time. Adjusting their sleep schedule or helping them through developmental changes requires patience.
Are you finding it hard to resolve their split nights?
It’s common for babies and toddlers to experience split nights, and it can be tough for parents to handle. We've helped over 300 families in similar situations and if you think you could benefit from additional support during this time, I have the perfect resource: the "4-24 Month Sleep Guide." This guide is filled with solutions to help with.
If you feel you might need more personalised support, I offer phone consults, and one-on-one support through plans. These services allow us to work closely together and address your specific needs.
Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider for personalised guidance regarding your baby's health and well-being, Babee Dreams does not give medical advice.
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.