Undertired Babies and Frequent Night Wakings: What to Know
How Undertiredness Causes Sleep Challenges
When babies are undertired-meaning they haven’t had enough awake time before sleep-they often experience:
Frequent night wakings
Short naps or catnapping
Long, happy periods of wakefulness during the night (“split nights”)
Resistance to settling at bedtime or nap time
Waking up happy and alert after short sleep periods
Typical Signs of an Undertired Baby
Happy, playful, or giggly during night wakings
Sleeps well during the day or takes long naps, leading to less sleep need at night
Takes a long time to fall asleep or resists bedtime, but isn’t cranky or upset
May wake later in the night (after 2 AM) and want to “party” for 1–2 hours
Why This Happens
If a baby hasn’t built up enough “sleep pressure” (the natural drive to sleep that builds during wakefulness), they may not be ready for longer stretches of sleep. This can result in:
Short naps and fragmented night sleep
Extended periods of wakefulness at night
Difficulty settling at bedtime or nap time
What Parents Can Do
Gradually increase wake windows (the time your baby is awake between sleeps) to ensure your baby is tired enough for consolidated sleep.
Adjust nap lengths or timing if your baby is napping too much during the day.
Observe your baby’s cues and track sleep patterns to find the best schedule for their individual needs.
Key Point:
Undertired babies often have frequent, happy night wakings and resist sleep-not because they need less sleep overall, but because their schedule may need adjusting to increase sleep pressure before naps and bedtime.
