Early waking revelation

[Raggedy]

My DS (19 months old) has had various stages of waking up at an unreasonable hour - 5.30am or so. I've tried all sorts of different methods - earlier bedtime, later bedtime, wake to sleep, etc without much success.

However, I recently read a report about trying to alter their circadian rhythym by taking them outside for a walk/play/etc later on in the evening. He usually goes to bed at 7pm so I have been taking him out for a walk/play about 6-6.30pm just before bath/bed. And it has had a fantastic effect - he is now waking routinely between about 6.15 and 7.00am which I find much more reasonable.

So I just wanted to let any mothers of early risers know in case they wanted to give it a try!

[GoingLoopyLou]

So last night was the first time I didn't do this in two weeks and this morning they woke at 6am, they hadn't woken before 7.15am in a fortnight. Even more convinced this works now!!!

Am also thinking I am destined to years of having to trudge outside every evening in order to get a decent sleep!

[practicallyimperfect]

Well we only did 15 mins last night and he woke at 5.45am. Need to do longer!

[Krainy]

This has worked for us - gone from early 5am starts to 6.30am starts, overnight. We now do a walk 6 - 6.45pm. Hurray!

[Raggedy]

So glad that it is working for some of you!

[MissRedIndie]

GoingLoopy, perhaps it's worth investing in a light box? The kind of thing that people suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) swear by - you can get them on Amazon for £40 upwards - this way the DCs could sit and play with their toys whilst being exposed to the right kind of light. I bought one for my friend a couple of days ago, when it arrives I might test it out on DD before passing it on to my friend (she has SAD rather than early waking children!!)

[BobbieSox]

I meant to say, I came across this thread last week after what seemed like months of 5am waking- I'm 26 weeks with DC2 and couldn't bear it any more..

Anyway, tried making sure DD (21 months) had some outside time from 6 until about 20/half past, when we come in and start doing bath etc. And she has slept until 6.30 each night we've done it!

I didnt do it last night as I was knackered and just wanted to sit down, and she woke up a bit earlier, so I really do credit taking her outside for our later mornings.

Sympathy to all those suffering!

[heidipi]

Just resurrecting this thread to say it seems to be working for us too!

7.5m DD's a good sleeper but over the last 3 wks her 5.30am start to the day had crept back to 5am and was getting earlier. For the last 2 nights we've taken her into the garden or a walk around the block (carried, not pram) from 6.30 - 7pm and she hasn't woken til after 6am on both mornings, 6.15 today - like a crazy dream come true! That's good enough for me. Her morning naps have been longer too - more than 90 mins each day. Am currently looking for things to eat do til she wakes up again!

Don't know if it will last but definitely worth a try I'd say.

[lookout]

Ancient thread, I know, but I'm desperately trying to find ways to get ds2 to sleep longer in the mornings. Any idea how to do this in the winter?