Baby Wake Windows By Age

Should You Watch Wake Windows or Sleep Cues?

Some people prefer to watch for cues that their baby is tired rather than watching wake windows. This is ideal for babies in the newborn stage. The problem is, after about 4 months, sleep cues can be very unreliable. Boredom, hunger, overstimulation, and allergies can all be confused with tired signals, resulting in sleep struggles from trying to get baby to sleep before they’re ready or after they’re too overtired to relax.

Wake windows are the period of time a baby is awake from one sleep to the next. Ideally, they should be tracked from the time they wake up to the time you lay them down again for their next sleep. Tracking wake windows is a pretty reliable way to know when your baby will be ready to go down for naps or bedtime. Here’s why:

Why Wake Windows Work

Sleep pressure is the body's natural drive to sleep, which builds up the longer we’re awake due to a chemical called adenosine. Adenosine is a byproduct of our cells consuming energy. When we're awake, adenosine builds up in our brain cells, slowing down neuron activity and making us feel sleepy.

Optimal wake windows are based on the understanding of sleep pressure and adenosine. By managing wake windows, you can leverage sleep pressure to make sure your little one isn’t too tired or not tired enough.

Best Wake Windows 0 to 12 Months

0 to 3 Months Old - 45 to 90 minute wake windows

At this age, you will mostly want to watch for sleep cues like yawning, grabbing at ears, rubbing eyes, and extra fussiness. You can still notice wake times, but I don’t recommend tracking them closely or trying to keep a strict schedule. This can quickly become a fixation and a source of anxiety for parents with a brand new baby.

Wake window activities for 0 to 3 month olds should include feeds, diaper changes, tummy time, getting outside for fresh air and sunshine, and LOTS of contact with you. Skin to skin, baby-wearing in a sling or carrier, and just generally holding your baby is vital for their development as newborn.

4 to 6 Months Old - 2 to 2.5 hour wake windows

Babies form mature sleep cycles at around 4 months old, meaning they start moving through more sleep stages. They also drop from 4 naps to 3 around this age. This helps some babies consolidate night sleep, naturally lengthening wake times. For other babies, usually the more sensitive ones, this marks the dreaded 4 month sleep regression, a spike in night wakes, fighting naps and bedtime, sleep struggles, and overall fussiness.

It’s hard to stretch wake windows if your baby isn’t sleeping well at night. And if they’re not awake enough during the day, they won’t have enough sleep pressure to sleep well at night, which can turn into an exhausting cycle. If that sounds like your family, you can check out this article on resolving frequent night wakes.

Track wake windows and watch your baby’s cues at this age. If they’re cranky and fussy, shoot for the lower end of the wake window range. If they’re active and content, go for the longer wake window.

If need to stretch wake windows but are having a hard time with fussiness, the best thing you can do is go outside. Being outdoors can soothe you and your baby, regulate sleep and mood hormones, adjust the circadian rhythm, and help while they adjust to being awake longer.

7 to 9 Months Old - 2.75 to 3.5 hour wake windows

You can rely more on wake windows and keep a consistent schedule at this age. Around 6 months old, babies consolidate daytime sleep, meaning they start taking longer naps. They drop from 3 naps to 2 somewhere in the 6 to 9 month range (usually earlier for good night sleepers, later if they struggle with night sleep).

Wake windows lengthen naturally at this age because s a lot is happening developmentally, like crawling, pulling up to standing, babbling, and eating solids. There’s usually a sleep regression around this age too, related to these milestones.

Wake window activities for 7 to 9 month olds should include feeds, diaper changes, time outdoors, and lots of free play and physical activity. Babies this age need to move their bodies. This forms new neural connections; strengthens bones, muscles, and tissues; aids in digestion; and creates muscle memory they’ll use the rest of their life. Not getting enough physical activity can worsen sleep regressions at this age.

10 to 12 Months Old - 3.5 to 4.5 hour wake windows

Babies this age get really active, learning new words, standing, and walking with or without assistance. As wake windows get longer, you may feel more pressure to entertain them and fill spare moments with enrichment activities, but it’s just as beneficial to offer lots of time for free play where they can explore in their own way.

Parallel activity is where you work on whatever household activity you need to get done, and keep them alongside you doing their own thing. You don’t need to worry about setting up elaborate sensory bins or activities for them during parallel activities. It can be as simple as giving them a couple pots and pans and kitchen utensils.

Wake window activities for 10 to 12 month olds should include lots of free play and floor time to move their body, in and outdoors. In fact, the more time you can spend outside with your baby at this age, the better. There’s a high risk for overstimulation and understimulation at this age. It’s easy to think they’re ready for a nap when they start getting fussy, when in reality, they just need a change of scenery and fresh air.

Wake Window Chart by Age

Here is a full breakdown of the recommended optimal wake windows by age. Like we covered, recommended wake window times are based on our understanding of sleep pressure as it relates to adenosine. The goal is to aim for the sweet spot when your baby is getting sleepy, but before they get overtired.

Being overtired triggers a baby’s stress response, releasing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline and increasing their heart rate to keep them alert. This makes it more difficult for them to relax, and when they do fall asleep, the stress response prevents them from getting to deep, restorative sleep states.

It’s also important to note that not all babies need strict wake windows and sleep schedules. Some babies, usually the more sensitive ones, struggle more with disruptions to their usual routine and are more reactive to being overtired. These babies thrive with consistency and predictability. Other babies, usually the more easy-going ones, can adapt more easily to changes in their routine, are able to nap on-the-go, and bounce back from becoming overtired quickly.

Summary

• Wake windows are the amount of time a baby is awake from the time they get up from one sleep until they down for their next.

• Some people prefer to watch sleep cues rather than wake windows, but sleep cues can be unreliable after the newborn stage. Optimal wake window times are based on our understanding of sleep pressure.

• During the newborn phase, sleep cues are the best way to know when your little one is ready for sleep, and their wake windows will be 45 minutes to an hour.

• From 4 to 6 months, wake windows will be 2 to 2.5 hours. Watch sleep cues and wake windows. If your baby seems to be struggling, go for the lower end of the wake window range. If they’re alert and content, go for a longer wake window.

• 7 to 9 months, wake windows will be 2.75 to 3.5 hours. At this age, you can rely more on wake windows and keep a consistent schedule.

• For 10 to 12 month olds, wake windows will be 3.5 to 4.5 hours. Babies this age are very active and need a lots of movment and phsyical activity and time outdoors.