Getting a baby to sleep under the best of circumstances can be tricky, but when your little one is overtired, it can be even more difficult. That’s because overtired babies have a harder time settling down for sleep, sleep only intermittently and wake up more often throughout the night.
The result? Overtired babies tend to sleep less and sleep less well, making them more tired, which continues the tired-overtired cycle. And it can be especially difficult to sleep train an overtired baby.
How can you tell if your baby is overtired? Here are the signs, plus tips on how to steer your baby toward better sleep habits.
Signs of an overtired baby
Babies who don’t sleep enough and who stay awake for longer than they can handle end up having a stress response — an increase in adrenaline and cortisol — making it trickier for them to wind down for bed.
Sometimes it’s obvious your baby is overtired … and other times the signs are subtle. Here’s what to look for in your little one:
- She has a hard time settling down for sleep.
- She only takes brief catnaps instead of full-blown naps.
- She doesn’t get a lot of sleep at night.
- She’s very cranky or fussy.
- She’s less able to handle frustration or pain.
- She’s more prone to meltdowns (in an older baby).
- She falls asleep at random times during the day (in the high chair when eating, for instance, or as soon as she hits the stroller, even if it’s not naptime).
How to prevent your baby from getting overtired
In general, make sure you’re giving your baby ample opportunity to meet her sleep needs. Here's how much sleep baby needs by age:
- A 1-month-old should get about 14 to 17 hours of sleep a day. That’ll usually break down to about eight to nine hours at night (with your baby waking up about every three hours to feed and going right back to sleep) and another seven to nine hours in naps during the day.
- A 2-month-old should get a total of around 12 to 16 hours of sleep a day. Expect her to get approximately eight to 10 hours at night (waking up every four to six hours to feed) and four to eight in naps.
- A 3-month-old should get about nine to 10 hours at night (again, with some nighttime feeds) and a few naps of 90 minutes to two hours each during the day.
- By 4 months, your baby should be sleeping between 12 and 15 hours a day, with two or three daytime naps that total around three to four hours, and about 10 to 11 hours of sleep at night (with fewer feeds overnight).
- When your baby nears 6 months old, she should be sleeping about nine to 11 hours at night, with two longer naps during the day. She’s now capable of "sleeping through the night" — or sleeping for six to eight hours at a time most nights.
In a perfect scenario, you’d stop your baby’s overtiredness before it even starts. These tips for preventing your baby from getting overtired can help:
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Watch for sleep cues. They include eye rubbing, crankiness, ear or hair pulling, yawning and so on, and respond promptly by getting baby in for a nap or for bedtime at the first sign that she's tired.
Follow a consistent bedtime routine every night. This helps baby transition from awake time to sleep time. Use an abridged version before naps. (However, this isn’t really appropriate for newborns.)
Don’t overstimulate your baby before sleep times. That means stopping playtime in the half hour or so before bed, and doing your best to keep your baby in a quieter area, away from the TV or radio.
How to get an overtired baby to sleep
Sure, it will be harder to get an overtired baby to bed, but it’s not impossible. Here are some strategies to try:
Get to know your baby’s sleep patterns and try to get her down about a half hour before her usual bedtime. A lot of this depends on age. Babies also have "wake windows," which are the amounts of time they can handle being awake and vary by age. Newborns are only truly alert for about three minutes of every hour, 1-month-olds can stay awake for up to one hour and 3-month-olds can theoretically stay awake for up to two hours. However, every baby is different.
Go through your baby's normal bedtime routine. Usually that means a feed, a bath, a book, lullabies and cuddles. That's her signal that it's time for sleeping.
Swaddle your baby and hold her in a dark room with no sound or other stimulation. (This is only appropriate until baby is about 8 weeks old.)
Will sleep training help a baby who’s always overtired?
If your baby is perpetually overtired, you’ll likely run into trouble if you attempt to sleep train. (Note: Experts recommend holding off on sleep training until your baby is out of the newborn stage.)
Your best course of action is to get your baby back on track by doing whatever you can to get her to sleep the full number of hours (or close to it) that she needs for her age before embarking on a sleep training mission.
Following a consistent nap and bedtime schedule, limiting stimulation before bedtime and having a set bedtime routine can all help.
Remember, it'll be easier to sleep train a baby who isn't overtired, simply because overtired babies sleep less well in general and have a harder time getting to sleep.
How does an overtired baby's cry sound?
You’re likely aware that your baby uses different cries to communicate different needs. There’s the hunger cry, the pain cry, and yes, the tired cry.
The tired cry is a whiny, nasal, continuous cry that builds up in intensity. The overtired cry is similar to a tired cry, and is often accompanied by other overtired symptoms, like having a hard time settling down or getting easily frustrated.
Watching your baby closely and responding promptly to sleep cues is important, since doing so can help prevent your sleepyhead from getting overtired in the first place. And making sure your baby gets enough daytime and nighttime sleep will go a long way in solving your overtired baby problem. Once you've gotten baby back on track, more restful nights are on the horizon.
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