Why does my baby take short naps?

Before I was trained to become a sleep consultant, my own daughter had one big sleep issue: short naps (and we define short naps as anything under 1 hour). For most of my daughter’s first year of life, she took 30 minute naps all day. For me, the annoying part was that I wasn’t able to get much done, but other than that, things seemed fine. She seemed decently happy during the day, and I figured that she just “didn’t need sleep as much as other babies.”

However, what I didn’t realize was how drastically daytime sleep affects nighttime sleep (and vice versa). Basically, her short naps were making her overtired (even if it didn’t affect her mood), which caused multiple night wakings for most of her first year of life! Little did I know that those night wakings could have been prevented if I had helped her elongate those naps!

So why do short naps happen?

Here are a few of the most common reasons that babies take short naps...

1. Awake windows are too long and your baby is overtired.

The #1 reason that short naps occur is because baby’s awake windows are too long. If your baby is awake for too long, past their age-appropriate awake window (ranging from 1-5 hours, depending on age), they will become overtired. Some babies show this through tears and an unhappy mood, but others mask their overtiredness well, and it shows up simply in the form of short naps or multiple night-wakings. It seems logical that an overtired baby would be able to nap really well in order to catch up, but unfortunately that’s just not how sleep science works! When babies are awake for too long, their bodies produce the hormone cortisol or adrenaline which triggers stress. The result is another short nap!   

You should also be on the lookout for sleepy cues such as rubbing eyes, decreased interest in activities, yawning, and increased fussiness. These are all ways that your baby might be signaling to you that they are ready for sleep. Since babies can quickly miss their sleep window, it is important to catch them after you notice these signs, especially if it is in the range of their typical awake windows. For example, if your baby is five months old, their awake windows should be between 1.5 and 2.5 hours. Usually the shorter awake windows are in the morning while the longer awake windows are later in the day, but by watching for sleepy cues, you will get an idea of exactly when in that range your baby needs to go down. 

2. Awake windows are too short or baby has not had enough activity.

It is also possible that awake windows are too short, or if your older baby/child has not had enough activity, they may not be tired enough to take their nap. Just as adults sleep better with exercise and activity during the day, babies also need to exert their energy by playing, being exposed to light, etc. Keeping your baby physically and mentally active is key in helping make sure they are tired enough for naps (and night sleep). 

3. Their sleep environment is not conducive to sleep. 

Short naps are often a result of an environment that is too stimulating or isn’t consistent. The best place for your baby to take naps is in their crib or bassinet, in a room that is free of distraction and dark. If you find that your baby naps here and there and on-the-go, getting them to take longer naps in their own sleep space is going to be difficult. Use blackout curtains if light comes through a window, and we always recommend a white noise machine to block out external sounds!

4. Your baby has been snacking instead of getting full feeds.

Babies who are chronic snackers or go long periods of time during the day without full feeds are going to wake up frequently! It is important both for naps and night sleep that they get full feeds every 2.5-3 hours in the first year of life. Some parents follow the “eat, play, sleep” routine, but we find that that routine can sometimes cause babies to wake up hungry, as it’s been several hours since their last feed. Instead, we recommend more of a “play, eat, play, sleep” routine, making sure that baby will not be going more than 3 hours without a feed if they take a long nap. 

5. Your child is ready to drop a nap. 

If your child has suddenly started refusing a nap, or it is gradually getting shorter and shorter, that might be a sign that they are ready to transition to one less nap. These transitions usually happen around 5-6, 8-9, and 14-18 months (dropping down to 3, 2, and then 1 nap). Read more here about the signs that your child is ready to drop a nap and information on the most common nap transitions.

How can you help your baby lengthen their naps? 

1. Address the foundations mentioned above. 

This means that you need to follow the age-appropriate awake windows, put your baby down in an environment that promotes sleep, and ensure that baby is getting full feeds about every three hours. On top of that, make sure that you have a naptime routine. This should be similar to a bedtime routine, but shorter. Skip the bath and pajamas, and maybe have less books or a shorter song that you sing, but the routine should still involve dim lighting, turning on white noise, and putting on a swaddle or sleep sack. 

2. Allow your baby to rest even if they aren’t actually sleeping

Did you know that time your baby spends in a relaxing and quiet environment can help their body re-set, even if they don’t actually sleep? While we do want them to sleep, if they wake up early from a nap, sometimes it makes sense to let them hang out in their sleep space for a bit before getting them up, if trying to get them back to sleep doesn’t work. We don’t suggest allowing your child to do this if they are crying, but just if they are happy and “hanging out”.

3. If getting your baby back to sleep is unsuccessful, shorten the next awake window.

Depending on the baby’s age, you will want to shorten their next awake window by 30-45 minutes. For example, if your 5-month-old normally has 2 hour awake windows, you will want to bring that down to 1.5 hours after a short nap. This is to avoid them becoming overtired and having yet another short nap after. For an older baby on just one or two naps, you will need to move bedtime up (just not before 6pm), and possibly add in an extra catnap (45 minutes max). 

4. If all else fails, try an assisted nap.

Sometimes baby is simply stuck in an overtired cycle. A short nap causes another short nap, which causes a night full of wakings, and the cycle begins again. The best way to break out of that cycle is to try an assisted nap. This means that after first attempting the nap in the crib, you can then hold your baby, use a baby carrier, or push them in a stroller to help lengthen the nap. This is a short-term solution to breaking out of the overtired cycle and is not meant to be your go-to method for naps (unless you are ok with holding for all naps).

If I had known about these reasons and these steps when my daughter was a baby, I know that we both would have had much better sleep at night, and I would have been so much more productive during her naps! 

If your baby is stuck in a cycle of short naps, apply these steps! If you need more assistance, look into our nap training guide or reach out to us for one-on-one help!