Sleep HELP! | Mumsnet

honeybee9871 · 2024-09-11T10:28:24+00:00

My 3 year old goes to sleep absolutely fine, but then he wakes in the night (usually anytime between 1:30-2;30 and is then awake for a couple of hours either talking or crying on and off. He's fine in the day so I don't think he's in pain etc (I give calpol in the night if he won't settle sometimes). He's never been a great sleeper since being a baby. Now he's at afternoon nursery there's no opportunity for him to have a nap so he's awake for a couple of hours in the night and then having to stay awake all day. Anyone ever tried any of the natural remedies? I've heard there's a sleep balm etc from Lush. Or is it all just a money making con?

angelpie33 · 11/09/2024 12:55

What time does he go to bed and wake up? Typically a split night (where they wake up and are then up for a significant period in the night/very early hours) is due to aiming for too much sleep. So a slightly later bedtime and/or consistent, earlier wake time in the morning is likely to help. I would make changes very gradually and give a change a few weeks to see if it has an impact.

At the age of 3 years, he may need no more than 10 hours overnight.

Original poster

honeybee9871 · 11/09/2024 21:03

angelpie33 · 11/09/2024 12:55

What time does he go to bed and wake up? Typically a split night (where they wake up and are then up for a significant period in the night/very early hours) is due to aiming for too much sleep. So a slightly later bedtime and/or consistent, earlier wake time in the morning is likely to help. I would make changes very gradually and give a change a few weeks to see if it has an impact.

At the age of 3 years, he may need no more than 10 hours overnight.

Hi,
He goes to bed around 7pm and I can't keep him up any later. Then awake around 2 hours in the night, and then awake around 7:30-8am x

OP posts:

angelpie33 · 12/09/2024 07:50

I would try to push bedtime slightly later (like to 7.15 instead of 7), give it a week or so then push it back again to 7.30, then again if needed and see what the impact of it is. Hopefully if you do very small changes like this he will be able to slowly adapt to a later bedtime.

Another option would be to start waking him up earlier every morning (maybe 7am for example), sticking to it consistently again for a few weeks to see if it has an impact on nighttime sleep.
You essentially want to take those approx. 2 hours of awake time in the night and put them back into his daytime, if that makes any sense!
Personally I would probably aim for nighttime sleep to go to 7.30-6.30 or 8-7 or something like that, but it really depends on works best for you and your son.

Original poster

honeybee9871 · 12/09/2024 12:24

angelpie33 · 12/09/2024 07:50

I would try to push bedtime slightly later (like to 7.15 instead of 7), give it a week or so then push it back again to 7.30, then again if needed and see what the impact of it is. Hopefully if you do very small changes like this he will be able to slowly adapt to a later bedtime.

Another option would be to start waking him up earlier every morning (maybe 7am for example), sticking to it consistently again for a few weeks to see if it has an impact on nighttime sleep.
You essentially want to take those approx. 2 hours of awake time in the night and put them back into his daytime, if that makes any sense!
Personally I would probably aim for nighttime sleep to go to 7.30-6.30 or 8-7 or something like that, but it really depends on works best for you and your son.

Thankyou I'll give it a go!

OP posts: