What are Awake Windows and should you be utilising them?! | | Age appropriate awake windows are the time between when your little one wakes and when they should be asleep again. Essentially, these bad boys can be the difference between a good sleep and a not so good sleep! I personally find that even if you can’t stick to a consistent routine, by watching your little ones awake windows you can still achieve good naps and overnight sleep (YAY!). | | | Why are they so important? If our little ones are over or under tired, it is very easy to get stuck in a pattern of very difficult naps. Sticking to an age appropriate awake window helps to ensure your child isn’t going to sleep over or become under tired and therefore will be going down when their little bodies' hormones are optimal for sleep. Making the bedtime wine down a whole lot easier. | | What an awake window looks like by age: | | It’s important to remember that the awake window guide is in fact just that, a guide! And will vary depending on your child - give or take 15mins. So, if you are following the guide your little one may need slightly more or slightly less awake time. (*Tip if your little one was premature then they will probably need less). | | Now that you have the low down on what these mystical awake windows are it's time to start incorporating them into your little ones routine! Don't forget to let me know how you go! | | | | |