Long awake periods during the night with your little one can be incredibly challenging. Your child may seem wide awake and ready to play, while your own body is desperately craving rest. These extended periods of wakefulness are commonly known as split nights, and they're a common problem for many families. Unfortunately, these interruptions disrupt the flow of sleep, leaving both children and parents feeling exhausted and frustrated.
What are Split Night Awakenings?
Split nights refer to those instances during sleep when a child wakes up fully alert, playful, and social, usually for 1-3 hours at a time. Unlike typical night wakes where you can soothe your child back to sleep relatively quickly, split nights involve extended periods of wakefulness. This occurrence is most common in children aged between 8 and 24 months.
It's important to note that if your child is awake due to discomfort for an extended period, it shouldn't be considered a split night; rather, it could indicate an underlying issue that needs to be addressed.
Causes of Split Night Awakenings:
Several factors can contribute to split night awakenings in babies and young children:
Developmental Milestones: Babies and toddlers undergo rapid developmental changes, such as teething, learning to crawl or walk, and separation anxiety, which can disrupt their sleep patterns.
Sleep Associations: Children may rely on specific sleep associations, such as being rocked or nursed to sleep, making it challenging for them to self-soothe when they wake up during the night.
Environmental Factors: External factors like noise, temperature fluctuations, or changes in routine can disrupt a child's ability to stay asleep.
Too Much or Too Little Daytime Sleep: Inconsistent nap schedules or excessive daytime sleepiness can disrupt nighttime sleep patterns, leading to split night awakenings.
Impact of Split Night Awakenings on Sleep:
The repercussions of split night awakenings extend far beyond mere tiredness, affecting both children and parents in various ways:
Daytime Sleepiness: Fragmented sleep during the night can lead to daytime sleepiness, irritability, and difficulty concentrating in children. This can impair their cognitive function and hinder their ability to engage in daily activities and learning.
Parental Exhaustion: For parents, the relentless cycle of tending to a restless child throughout the night can result in profound exhaustion and overwhelm. This chronic sleep deprivation not only diminishes parental well-being but also strains relationships and dampens the overall quality of family life.
Disrupted Family Dynamics: Split night awakenings ripple effect on the entire family, disrupting established routines and straining familial bonds. The disturbed nights may also impact siblings, leading to tensions and conflicts within the household.
Managing Split Night Awakenings:
While split night awakenings can be challenging, there are strategies parents can employ to help manage them effectively:
Identify the Cause: Determine why your child is waking up during the night. It could be due to hunger, discomfort, a wet nappy, teething pain, a disrupted sleep pattern, or simply out of habit. Understanding the underlying cause will help you address it effectively.
Establish a Consistent Bedtime Schedule: A predictable nap & bedtime routine can signal to your child that it's time to wind down and prepare for sleep. Consistency is key; following the same sequence of activities each night & pre-nap helps to regulate your child's internal body clock and create a sense of predictability and security. One crucial aspect of this routine is ensuring that your child's daytime naptimes are consistent and age-appropriate in duration. Naps play a vital role in a child's overall sleep schedule, providing essential rest and rejuvenation to support their growth and development. Consistent daytime naptimes help to prevent overtiredness, which can exacerbate split night awakenings. When children miss out on adequate daytime rest, they may become irritable, fussy, and prone to frequent night awakenings. On the other hand, napping too close to bedtime can interfere with the child's ability to fall asleep at night, leading to bedtime battles and disrupted sleep patterns. To establish a consistent nap schedule, aim for regular nap times that align with your child's natural sleep rhythms and age-specific sleep needs.
Encourage Self-Soothing: Teach your child to self-soothe by gradually reducing sleep associations and providing comfort and reassurance in a supportive way when they wake up during the night (see blog post What Settling Technique Will Work Best For My Little One?).
Create a Comfortable Sleep Environment: Ensure that your child's sleep environment is conducive to restful sleep, with minimal distractions and comfortable bedding. Consider using white noise machines to mask disruptive external sounds, and blackout blinds to reduce the impact of early morning awakenings. Furthermore, minimise exposure to screens and stimulating activities before bedtime.
Offer Comfort, but Avoid Over-Intervention: When your child wakes up during the night, offer comfort and reassurance, but avoid over-intervening. If your child is not in distress, allow them the opportunity to settle back to sleep on their own. There are generally 3 types of crying a baby/young child will exhibit, it is important to listen to what your little one is trying to tell you, as going into them can sometimes lead to overstimulation and difficulty in them falling back to sleep.
Seek Professional Help if Needed: If split night awakenings persist despite your best efforts, consider getting in touch, sometimes all it takes is a schedule tweak, or support in finding an appropriate, supportive settling technique.
Split night awakenings are a common challenge for parents of babies and young children, but with patience, consistency, and the right strategies, they can be managed effectively. By understanding the causes of fragmented sleep and implementing proactive measures to promote healthy sleep habits, parents can help their children—and themselves—get the rest they need for optimal health and well-being. Remember, every child is unique, so be patient and flexible as you navigate this journey toward better sleep for your family.
If you would like support with split nights and how to manage them, or further information about the types of cry, get in touch via email laura@sleepteacher.co.uk or WhatsApp me at 07768124120
