Wake Windows by Age

It's probably 3 am, isn't it?

You're baby is awake again, and you're exhausted.

You've turned to Google, or even ChatGPT, for answers about why you're child won't sleep.

You have probably seen suggestions about age-appropriate wake windows by age and wonder if they are worth the hype.

What is a Wake Window?

A wake window is a designated time frame that corresponds to a range of awake time that, in theory, would set your child up for sleep success.

In other words, keep you child awake for an amount of time and they will be the perfect amount of tiredness for sleep.

Sounds great, right?

What Does the Research Say About Age-Appropriate Wake Windows?

This all sounds good and well in theory, right?

What if I told you there was no scientific evidence that suggested age-appropriate wake windows worked?

What if I told you wake windows don't exist in the research?

Where Did They Come From Then?

It's hard to say because the term just showed up one day and spread like wildfire.

The trouble is that they work for some people, but not others.

If you take a step back to think about it, it makes sense.

Each child is unique. They are individuals and have their own sleep needs. No chart can accurately calculate how much sleep your child needs.

For sleep consultants who preach wake windows, they are setting some families up for failure simply by not looking at each child as an individual.

This is a huge problem!

But, because so-called experts are parroting information from consultant to consultant and program to program, the myth continues to spread.

So, Now What?

This is where we need to talk about sleep pressure and 24-hour sleep needs.

This is the bread and butter of sleep science.

Adenosine is the magic molecule in our bodies that make us sleepy. As we are awake, adenosine builds up. When it gets to optimal levels... boom. Sleep time magic happens.

When we think about 24-hour sleep needs, this is the total amount of sleep we need in a 24-hour period.

The reason wake windows are problematic is because some children don't build up enough adenosine in what the chart considers an age appropriate amount of time. If we don't have enough sleep pressure built up, when we put the kiddo down, it's all tears and sadness. They simply aren't tired enough.

The other issue that comes up around wake windows is the concept of overtiredness.

Sorry... also not real.

Most sleep consultants will say that if you miss a wake window, you're child will be overtired and not go to sleep.

To me, this sounds like a way for sleep consultants to put the blame on parents when things don't go according to plan. But, it also tells me they don't have an understanding of the sleep science.

Case Study

Let me give an example from a previous client.

Baby A is 7-months old. He has been waking frequently during the night, having to nurse to sleep, and won't nap unless he is being held.

This started off sounding like so many stories I hear when I'm speaking to parents.

I asked Baby A's mom for 5-7 nights of sleep data. I wanted to know every wake up and sleep period.

What I found was pretty typical. Days with lots of sleep, followed by broken nights, and another day with lots of sleeps.

His sleep graph across all 5 days looked like a super fun rollercoaster.

Once I calculated his sleep totals, I found something interesting. His sleep tank was...

Drum roll, please...

11 hours and 45 minutes.

I was really afraid to tell this family that the answer to his sleep problems was LESS sleep.

We talked about their lifestyle and daily schedule to find a solution for Baby A that took into account his sleep needs.

And guess what?

In about 3 days, Baby A was sleeping in the crib through the night.

This family was shocked because the charts they had been told were the answer, were wrong.

How Do I Know What My Child Needs?

I don't believe information should be locked behind a paywall, so I'm going to tell you how to figure it out yourself.

With one caveat...

This is only one piece of the ever complicated sleep puzzle, but when dialed in, it can make a night and day difference in your child's sleep.

To start, you will need to track your child's sleep for 5 to 7 days. 7 is ideal.

You need to log every wake up during the night, even the short 5 minute ones. Track every nap.

Once you have all 5 to 7 days, add up all the sleep time and divide it by the total number of days.

So, let's say it looks something like this:

Day 1: 13 hours, 30 minutes

Day 2: 12 hours, 45 minutes

Day 3: 13 hours, 5 minutes

Day 4: 13 hours, 45 minutes

Day 5: 12 hours, 30 minutes

Day 6: 13 hours, 15 minutes

Day 7: 12 hours, 50 minutes

You can do some math, or if you're tired and have mom brain, there is a website for that!

In this example, the average is 13 hours and 5 minutes of sleep per 24-hour period.

With that information, you can start playing around with timings to see what works best for your child.

Do they do better with a slightly later bedtime and 11 hours of sleep overnight?

Or do they need 11 hours and 30 minutes of night sleep?

Based on your logs, you might see a pattern.

If not, that's okay! That's where I come in!

Again, this is one piece, but an important piece. This is where I start with my clients.

How Do I Know If My Child's Sleep Total is Too Low?

This is a valid concern. Especially in a case like Baby A above.

One way to tell is based on mood. If you're child is happy, growing, and thriving, you're right on point.

If you want something more concrete, I'd like to direct you to the National Science Foundation has a graph of recommended sleep totals by age.

As you can see, the ranges vary in what is appropriate. It's a range.

So-called age-appropriate wake windows don't take that into account.

If you have questions or want to chat about your child's sleep, I'm here to help! I love talking sleep science and myth busting.

I know this might cause a stir, but sometimes you have to unlearn beliefs in order to grow.

I know I did.