Wake Windows Explained & 5 Tips to Maximize Your Baby’s Sleep with Wake Windows

When my first child was born, I had never even heard of the term “wake windows”. But then by the time my third was born, I had already been a certified sleep consultant. And it all made sense. Let’s talk about what “wake windows” are and how you should use them.

So, first things first, I do not want you to stress out about what “wake windows” are and how you need to use them. Because guess what? As I said, we never even knew what they were when I had my first. He’s eight years old now and he still loves his sleep – and he has since he was three months old! So I don’t want you to become obsessed with “wake windows”.

With that out of the way, let me define what “wake windows” are. This is basically your child’s awake time; the amount of time that your child is awake in-between sleep periods without becoming overly tired. So, it’s very important to watch your baby’s sleepy cues and know when they’re getting tired, so that we’re not pushing them too far in their “wake windows”.

We can also use these windows as a general guideline to know how long your child may be awake – it could be two hours, or less, or more, but every child is different. Watch your child’s cues and observe how long their unique “wake window” can be.

If your child’s day is not organized or structured, or if they are doing lots, then your child is going to be over-stimulated and over-tired, and the body is going to be producing cortisol, which is the stress hormone, and that makes children way more difficult to get to sleep in the first place.

You should be using your child’s appropriate “wake windows” everywhere, whether that’s at home, at grandma’s house, or at daycare, make sure your childcare provider or family member fully understands what “wake windows” are. How do we get daycare to adhere to them? Well, I’ve definitely had some struggles on many sides of the spectrum. I’ve seen parents who don’t want to be glued to a structured day, I’ve seen grandparents who just want to enjoy every minute possible with their grandchildren, and I’ve also seen daycare centers that have a very hard time implementing sleep schedules.

We use “wake windows” from birth all the way through six months old. After six months, your child is on two to three predictable naps every single day. And once your child is eventually on one nap a day, then you’ll be using a by-the-clock schedule. Nevertheless, a by-the-clock schedule is actually formed by using “wake windows”.

If you’re curious about what “wake windows” your child should have, I have a full chart for you at the end of this article. This is what it’s going to look like. You can download this, print it out, put it in your fridge or in your baby’s room, and revisit this chart from time to time and see if you need to be adding time between waking and sleeping. “Wake windows” are also important in connecting longer naps when your baby is older. They can be very telling of what the cycle looks like.

Some babies will also have a shorter nap and a shorter “wake window”. But if your child has a longer awake time, then they are likely to have a longer nap too. So, for example, if your child can handle a two-hour “wake window” and take a 45-minute nap, then you might want to try a two-and-a-half-hour “wake window” next time with a one-hour-and-a-half nap. You see how that kind of rolls out?

I have five quick tips that I want to share with you to help your days go a lot smoother and making sure that your child is making the most of their wake time!

Like I said, the “wake windows” are a range. So, at the beginning of the range check and see if your child is sleepy. If they’re giving you sleepy cues, such as looking away from stimulation, rubbing their eyes, yawning, etc., keep an eye on those. Once these sleepy cues are starting to show, you have about 10 minutes to get them into the nursery, change their diaper and get that bedtime routine going for bed. You don’t want your child to be overly tired. Keep track of when they start showing sleepy cues, how long their naps are and how long they are awake for, then you will fall into a rhythm of knowing their exact “wake window”. And of course, and as they get older, it’s going to change. So you need to be flexible.

I always recommend having some outside time built into your morning and afternoon schedule every single day. Make sure you are getting outside for sunshine, for some fresh air and vitamin D. It is going to help them sleep better, and help them to get a more restorative amount of sleep. And when it gets colder, definitely make sure you’re opening all the blinds and getting a lot of natural sunlight in the house.

You want to keep your child really active during their wake time. If you have a newborn baby, have lots of face-to-face time with him or her. Talk to them, do some singing and dancing, do all sorts to make sure that they’re exerting their energy and building up sleep pressure. We want them to be tired enough to take a decent nap.

You can kind of see all these tips above are not only going hand in hand but also complementing each other. So, set up a routine, have a schedule, and have a structured day to leave you stress-free!

When your child is on an “eat, play, sleep” routine, it builds that structure for you to wake up, eat, and play. “Play” can be the time when you are going outside, going to a music class, or whatever it might be. You just repeat that all day every day: sleep, wake up, eat, play, sleep. You know that saying, “the days are long, but the years are short” because it feels like you’re doing the same thing on repeat. Nonetheless, don’t forget to mix up the activities that you’re giving your child, give them all different types of stimulation and engagement, and make sure they get the most out of their wakey time.

 So, this is what I have for you on “wake windows”: what they are, how to follow them, how to use them, what to do during that awake time and how to structure your child’s day. I hope you found it useful. Please don’t hesitate to leave a comment or contact me if you have any questions.

Keep blooming!