Have you ever felt like your baby sleeps a little too much? Or maybe your mother-in-law keeps nagging you about how her child never slept that much when they were young? Well, fret not! In this article, we will explore the world of sleepy head syndrome and whether or not your tiny human can actually sleep too much.
What is Sleepy Head Syndrome?
Sleepy head syndrome, also known as hypersomnia, is a condition where an individual feels excessively sleepy during the day. This could be caused by various factors such as lack of quality sleep at night, certain medications, or even medical conditions like sleep apnea.
In babies however, excessive sleeping could be due to a variety of reasons such as growth spurts, illness or just their natural developmental stages. So before assuming your baby has hypersomnia and taking them to see a doctor (unless there are other concerning symptoms), let's examine some potential culprits.
How Much Should Your Baby Be Sleeping?
First things first - what's normal for baby sleeping habits? According to The National Sleep Foundation, newborns up to 3 months old should be getting anywhere between 14-17 hours per day while infants aged 4-11 months should get around 12-15 hours. However, it's important to keep in mind that each baby is different so don't worry if your little one sleeps slightly more or less than this average range.
| Age Range | Hours per Day |
|---|---|
| Newborn | 14-17 |
| Infants | 12-15 |
Note: This table includes generalized estimates.
When Is Excessive Sleeping Normal?
Believe it or not but sometimes excessive sleeping can actually be considered normal infant behavior. As mentioned earlier, newborns tend to require higher amounts of sleep to support their rapid growth and development. Additionally, if your baby is recovering from an illness or recently underwent a medical procedure this could also cause increased fatigue.
When Should You Be Concerned About Excessive Sleeping?
While it might seem counterintuitive because we all love sleep, excessive sleeping in babies can sometimes be concerning especially if accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, irritability or difficulty waking up. In these cases, a visit with the pediatrician is definitely warranted.
Another aspect to consider is whether the baby is getting too much sleep during the night which consequently leads to oversleeping throughout the day. While newborns tend to wake up numerous times for feedings throughout the night (and rightly so), older infants should ideally be sleeping through most of it. If you find that your child isn't able stay awake during their daytime feeds due to excessive nighttime sleep, then perhaps there's room for adjustment in both routines.
| Age Range | Nocturnal Sleep |
|---|---|
| Newborn | 8-9 hours |
| Infants | 11-12 hours |
Note: This table includes generalized estimates.
Getting into Routine
To help regulate our kids' delicate internal clocks it's important establish consistent nighttime and naptime routines early on - making sure they get quality zzz's at appropriate intervals!
Setting a Bedtime
For newborns: try gradually setting an earlier bedtime of around 7-8 pm if possible and maximize daylight exposure afterwards when trying to combat fussiness at this age.
For infants: pushing back bedtime slightly towards around 9pm may help increase longevity of days naps while gradually increasing tolerance for longer stretches of overnight slumber.
Napping Schedule
Experts recommend putting babies down approximately every two hours until about six months old. So effectively optimum awake time allowed between subsequent periods of rest should measure no longer than three-four hour periods.
What's an Appropriate Sleep Environment?
Environment optimization can help your little one achieve the very best in their sleeping endeavors. Here are a few keys to keep in mind when creating that ideal rest zone:
Temperature
One essential is ensuring not too hot or too cold conditions, often between 68-72°F with adequate ventilation for consistent oxygen flow is optimal; blankets and onesies can be adjusted to accommodate accordingly.
Noise Level
Keeping noise levels moderate throughout the day while maintaining quiet at night can aid deep sleep creation. Soft lullabies or soothing white-noise sound machines may work wonders!
Winding Down Sleepy Head Syndrome
In summary, sleepy head syndrome might seem concerning but it could just be a phase that eventually regulates itself. But creating an environment conducive enough to quality restful sleep will definitely serve as a catalyst throughout helping baby establishing good habits which ultimately carry them well into adulthood - but before you go knocking yourself out trying establish super nanny-like routines? Just breathe, remember everyone's journey uniquely proceeds them!
The National Sleep Foundation (https://www.sleepfoundation.org)