Why 45 minutes?

Why does your child wake after sleeping for around 45 minutes, especially if they obviously need more sleep? Forty-five minutes is the duration of one of your child’s sleep cycles. They’ll go through a sleep cycle and then wake up. 

It may be developmental.

Short naps are quite normal until naps begin to develop. Nap development usually begins sometime between 4 and 6 months of age. You may see them develop individually, the first nap of the day, the second and the third. If you are able to help your baby back to sleep after they wake, you may not be able to lay them back down without them waking, even if you could manage this at the beginning of the nap. Many families struggle with this.

It may only be possible to lengthen those naps once they have developed.

Is a 45-Minute Nap Enough for a Baby?

This depends on the child. Some children will wake feeling refreshed and ready to go after a short 45-minute nap. Others will be very grumpy and obviously need more sleep. You may find that a short nap at the beginning and the end of the day are perfect for your child, but they do need a longer nap in the middle of the day.

How does your child seem around 20 minutes after they have woken from their 45-minute nap? Are they tired and grumpy? Or do they seem okay? Don’t judge their mood as soon as they wake. Some of us are a little grumpy than others upon waking.

Could it be overtiredness? Or even under-tiredness?

It’s natural to wonder if a 45-minute nap means your baby is over or under-tired. In reality, it could be either!

I know that doesn’t really help you, but this is where it all gets a little complicated. We’re now diving headfirst into nap math.

Nap math?

Nap math is the calculations you do to see if your child is napping at the right time for the perfect duration.

As each child is unique, there is no formula that fits all children. You want to look at what your child’s secret nap formula is.

Things you’ll want to consider- 
How old your child is (the younger they are, the shorter the awake period).
How their night was (are they waking tired in the morning?).
How the last nap was.
Their activity level before the nap.
Sleep personality.
When they last ate.

Do you see why this is getting complicated? If your child woke early after a slightly challenging night, they won’t be able to stay awake as long as a child who slept through the night. They can stay awake a little longer if their activity level is really calm and relaxing. If they’re hungry, they may only take a shorter nap.

Don’t worry too much about nap math. You know your child better than anyone and know how they handle over and under-tiredness. Using age-appropriate awake periods as a guide will help you determine if your child is over or under-tired.

Tips on How to Stop 45-Minute Naps

Here are some tips to stop 45-minute naps:

– Create a nap-friendly environment: Ensure your baby’s sleeping environment is conducive to longer naps. Consider some white or brown noise and a darker room.

– Follow a consistent routine: Create a nap schedule and stick to it. It helps your baby’s internal clock to get used to the nap routine. To keep these times on track, you may need to ensure your child wakes around the same time each morning.

– Watch the wake windows: Every baby is different. But 1 ½ hours awake is suitable for a three-month-old, and an 11-month-old can be awake for up to 4 hours.

– Don’t let your baby become overtired: An overtired baby can lead to poor sleep quality. Ensure your baby isn’t awake for long stretches before nap time.

– Be patient: Naps don’t necessarily improve overnight. Be patient and persistent, try different things and identify what works best for you and your baby.

If you continue to struggle and your child is helped to sleep at the beginning of the nap. Try some gentle sleep training. When your child has the skills to get to sleep at the beginning of the nap, they can get back to sleep when they naturally come into a lighter sleep after one sleep cycle.

To sum up, saying goodbye to short naps is possible. By understanding the reasons behind the 45-minute nap and addressing them, you can help your little one take longer, more restorative naps. With some patience and perseverance, you can help your child develop the skills they need to nap more effectively, leading to better sleep for everyone.