Ashwin Lewis
It can be frustrating when your newborn fights sleep, but you're not alone—many parents experience this. There are several reasons why newborns fight sleep, including being overtired, not tired enough, overstimulated, hungry, or experiencing digestive issues, teething, or separation anxiety. Striking a balance between overtired and undertired is crucial, as is establishing a consistent bedtime routine to prepare your newborn's brain and body for sleep. Additionally, developmental milestones, such as learning to roll over or crawl, can impact sleep patterns.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Day-Night Confusion | Newborns may not be tired enough at bedtime due to being very sleepy during the day |
| Overtired | Newborns can get overtired quickly, leading to a surge of cortisol and adrenaline, making them fight sleep |
| Under-tired | Babies can be under-tired and still fight sleep |
| Overstimulation | Bright lights, busy surroundings, screens, beeping toys, etc., can overstimulate newborns, making it hard for them to sleep |
| Sleep Regression | At 4 months, newborns start to cycle between light and deep sleep, leading to disrupted sleep patterns |
| Separation Anxiety | Babies may experience clinginess and cry when left alone |
| Teething | Teething pain can cause babies to fight sleep |
| Developmental Milestones | Babbling, rolling, sitting, crawling, and walking may take priority over sleep |
| Hunger | Newborns have small stomachs and require frequent feedings, causing them to wake up often |
| Reflux | Reflux causes discomfort and pain, leading to frequent waking and difficulty sleeping |
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What You'll Learn
Your newborn is overtired
Newborns can get overtired quickly, which often results in fighting sleep. When a baby is overtired, they have been awake for longer than their body can tolerate. This activates a stress response, including the release of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which makes it harder for the baby to settle. This is why an overtired baby may find it physically harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.
To prevent overtiredness, follow your newborn's sleepy cues and age-appropriate wake windows. For example, newborns can often comfortably stay awake for 30–90 minutes before being ready to snooze again. If you notice signs that your baby is getting tired, like yawning, a glazed expression, reduced responsiveness, or slowing in activity, it's a good time to help them settle for sleep.
If your newborn is overtired, it's okay to provide extra support to help them get the sleep they need. To help settle your overtired infant, aim to create a peaceful environment conducive to sleep. Keep their sleep space cool, dim the lights, and get away from any background noise that might add pressure to an already overtired baby. Most newborns sleep better in cool, dark, and quiet rooms.
If you've been trying to settle your overtired newborn for a while and they're still resisting, try taking a break. Taking a 15-minute breather and then trying again is often helpful. Sometimes babies need a reset, too! Once your baby is past the newborn phase, consider encouraging them to self-soothe. Babies who can self-soothe typically fall asleep easier, whether overtired or not.
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They are overstimulated
A newborn baby's sleep patterns are erratic, and it is common for newborns to fight sleep. One of the primary reasons newborns wake up frequently or seem to fight sleep is that they are hungry. During the first few months of life, babies have small stomachs and require frequent feedings throughout the night and day. It is not uncommon for newborns to wake up every 2-3 hours to feed—many feed even more often than that.
Another reason newborns fight sleep is that they are overstimulated. A bright, busy household, screens, beeping toys, or a crying spell can be too much to handle, resulting in overstimulation and the urge to fight sleep. Try to avoid stimulating activities at least an hour before the baby's bedtime. Light exposure plays a big role in our circadian day-night rhythms. Make sure to turn screens off within the hour before bedtime, and keep the lights dim. Research shows that bright light before bedtime suppresses melatonin, the hormone that tells the body it's time to sleep.
Newborns have an immature circadian rhythm, so they have not yet developed a clear understanding of the difference between night and day. The theory behind 'nocturnal' newborns is that being moved around during the day in the womb lulls a baby to sleep, so they then spend nights awake. As your baby's sleep cycles mature, which happens around 3 or 4 months, they will likely have an easier time falling asleep and staying asleep.
It is important to understand your baby's sleep cues and needs—body language, mood, and level of fussiness will tell you what you need to know. If your baby seems wide awake and happy, even though it's their usual time for a nap, they are probably not ready for sleep yet. Being under-tired is less common in babies and more common in toddlers, but an under-tired baby will fight sleep. An overtired baby is also likely to fight sleep. This scenario can happen quickly, and often you won't recognize it until it's too late.
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They are hungry
One of the primary reasons newborns wake up frequently or seem to fight sleep is that they are hungry. Newborns have small stomachs and require frequent feedings throughout the night and day. It is not uncommon for newborns to wake up every 2-3 hours to feed, and many feed even more often than that. During the first few months of life, babies have short sleep cycles because they need to be fed so often. This will get better as they get older and can go longer between feedings.
Newborns also have immature circadian rhythms and have not yet developed a clear understanding of the difference between night and day. This can lead to what is called "day-night confusion," where the newborn's days and nights are flipped. Following your newborn's sleepy cues and wake windows can help you find the right balance to prevent overtiredness, which can also contribute to a newborn fighting sleep.
If your newborn is overtired, it's okay to provide extra support to help them get the sleep they need. This might include creating a consistent bedtime routine, maintaining a sleep-conducive environment, and following a general sleep schedule. You can also try to identify and address any underlying issues that may be causing your newborn's sleep difficulties, such as reflux or teething pain.
It's important to remember that you can't force your newborn to sleep, but you can provide them with the opportunity and the necessary tools to fall asleep. This might include creating a predictable pre-sleep routine, which can help even young babies understand when it's time to end play and transition to sleep.
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They are undertired
If your newborn is fighting sleep, it could be because they are undertired. This is less common in babies and more common in toddlers, but an undertired baby will definitely fight sleep. Undertiredness in newborns can be caused by short wake windows or insufficient active awake time. If your baby is fighting sleep and doesn't seem tired at nap time or bedtime, consider extending their wake windows or dropping a nap.
To prevent undertiredness, it's important to understand your baby's sleep cues and unique needs. Their body language, mood, and level of fussiness will tell you a lot about their sleepiness. If your baby seems wide awake and happy at their usual nap time, they might not be tired yet.
Additionally, light exposure plays a significant role in regulating circadian day-night rhythms. Make sure to turn off screens within an hour before bedtime and keep the lights dim. Bright light before bedtime suppresses melatonin, the hormone that signals to the body that it's time to sleep. Establishing a predictable pre-sleep routine can also help your baby understand when it's time to transition from play to sleep, resulting in easier bedtimes.
If your baby is still struggling to fall asleep, try taking a break and resetting. After 45 to 60 minutes, bring them out of bed and spend 15 to 20 minutes doing something other than trying to fall asleep, such as quietly playing in dim light. Then, redo a shortened version of your bedtime routine and try again. Remember, while you can set your baby up for sleep success, you can't force them to sleep.
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They are going through sleep regression
If your newborn is fighting sleep, they may be going through sleep regression. Sleep regression is a common phrase used to describe a temporary disruption in your child's sleep pattern. This can manifest as waking up more in the night, taking shorter naps, or fighting bedtime. Sleep regression is usually linked to periods of development or big transitions, such as starting preschool or the birth of a sibling. During these times, your newborn's brain is busy focusing on physical, mental, social, or emotional growth, which can cause sleep to take a back seat.
Sleep regression can occur at various points in a newborn's development, but it is most commonly observed around 4 months, 8-10 months, 12 months, and 18 months. The 4-month sleep regression is often considered the hardest for parents as it is typically the first time they experience their baby's sleep problems. This regression is associated with the pain of teething, hunger linked to growth spurts, and the excitement of rolling over for the first time. Sleep regression can also occur at 8-10 months when babies start to crawl and experience separation anxiety, leading to them waking up looking for reassurance from their caregivers.
Sleep regression usually lasts about two to four weeks, but the exact duration can vary depending on the cause and the individual baby. During this time, it is important to stick to consistent routines and consider implementing sleep training methods if necessary. Patience is key during sleep regression, and maintaining a healthy sleep foundation can help reduce the impact and length of the regression.
If your newborn is fighting sleep due to sleep regression, you may notice signs such as fussiness, refusal to nap, crying when heading to the nursery, and multiple nighttime awakenings. It is important to rule out any physical concerns like sickness or teething, as these can also contribute to sleep disturbances.
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Frequently asked questions
There are many reasons why your newborn might be fighting sleep. Here are some of the most common ones:
- They are overtired.
- They are not tired enough.
- They are overstimulated.
- They are hungry.
Overtired babies tend to fuss and have difficulty settling down compared to babies with better balance in their sleep routines. They might be chronically overtired if their sleep patterns don't line up with their body's ability to fall asleep in their ideal window.
A bright, busy household, screens, beeping toys, or a crying spell can be too much for a newborn to handle, resulting in overstimulation and the urge to fight sleep.
Sleepy eating can result in a hungry baby who fights sleep. Ensure your newborn is getting full feedings and monitor their eating habits as they grow and become more aware of their surroundings.
