It’s a familiar scene for so many parents – you finally get your little one down for a nap, tiptoe out of the room, take one bite of your ‘gone-cold lunch’ and, bam, they’re awake… again… after just 30 minutes. Welcome to the world of catnaps.
Rest assured, if your baby only naps for one sleep cycle (typically 30-45 minutes), you’re not alone. Catnapping is incredibly common amongst babies. However, it is also incredibly exhausting – especially if your little one wakes up still tired and grumpy, and you’re left feeling like the day is an endless cycle of failed nap attempts.
So, what’s going on? And, more importantly, what can you do about it?
What is a catnap?
A catnap is a short nap that typically lasts one sleep cycle – around 30-45 minutes in length. For some babies, that’s all they need to wake up refreshed (especially if they’ve had a longer nap earlier in the day). But, for many, it’s not enough restorative sleep and they wake up fussy, yawning and in need of another nap far too soon.
Why do babies catnap?
There are several reasons babies struggle to nap longer than 30-45 minutes:
- They’re still learning to connect their sleep cycles.
Around 4-6 months, babies begin sleeping more like adults, cycling through lighter and deeper sleep every 30-45 minutes. This is most commonly referred to as the ‘4 month sleep regression’. If a baby is unable to independently link together their sleep cycles, they simply won’t be able to have longer and more restorative naps. Instead, and rather frustratingly, they’ll wake after one sleep cycle.
- Over or under tiredness.
If your little one goes down too early or too late, it can affect nap length. Being overtired can lead to fragmented, restless naps. On the flip side, if you’re baby isn’t sleepy enough (and not enough sleep pressure has been built up before the nap), they may only doze lightly and wake soon after. The timings of naps is key!
- Sleep environment.
Whilst newborns can sleep almost anywhere, once a baby hits around 3-4 months, the right sleep environment becomes a key component of achieving longer and more restorative naps. Too much light, noise or stimulation can make it hard for your baby to sleep deeply and settle back into another sleep cycle.
- Lack of nap routine.
Inconsistent nap times or different nap locations (e.g. cot one day, car the next) can disrupt their internal rhythm and ability to settle deeply.
- Developmental readiness.
It can actually be normal and developmentally appropriate for babies to take short naps until the age of about 5-6 months. Naps then begin to consolidate and lengthen – especially if they’re timed right and the little one has independent sleep skills!
How do I encourage longer naps?
Here are some practical tips to help your little one nap longer and more peacefully:
- Follow age-appropriate wake windows:
Watch for sleepy cues and aim for nap times when your baby is neither over nor under tired. For example, the average wake window of a 6 month old is between 2 hours and 2 hours 45 minutes.
- Optimise the sleep environment:
Keep the room dark (additional stick-up blackout blinds work well), use white noise to mask household sounds, and ensure the space is cool and calm. A consistent sleep environment signals to your baby that it’s time for a proper rest. Also, ensure they’re in comfy clothes and use their sleeping bag (if it’s not too warm!).
- Put them down awake in their cot:
Encourage your little one to fall asleep in their cot rather than putting them down asleep. This means, when they wake between sleep cycles, they know where they are, and they are more able to put themselves back to sleep. Support your little one in going to sleep rather than doing the hard job for them. Patting and shushing them to sleep is a good starting-point.
- Practice resettling:
If your baby wakes after 30 minutes, give them a few minutes to see if they can resettle on their own. If not, try gently helping them back to sleep with soothing methods like patting and shushing. Practice is key here!
- Create a nap routine:
A short, consistent nap wind-down routine (like nappy change, dimming lights, lullaby, story, and cuddle) can help signal it’s time for sleep – even during the day.
- Don’t stress about every nap:
Start by aiming for one nap a day in the cot, and use other methods (like the car or pram) for the remaining naps. Nap improvements can take time and energy, so avoid putting pressure on yourself to manage every nap perfectly. A gradual approach allows your little one to adjust while protecting your own wellbeing.
When should I seek help?
If short naps are making your baby (and you) miserable, or if they’re always waking up crying and clearly not rested, it may be worth seeking help. Sometimes a small tweak in schedule or approach can make a big difference. If you’d like to chat about what’s going on, feel free to book a free Discovery Call. I’d love to help.
