You’ve had a long and tiring day, the kids are finally asleep, and your own bed is calling your name. You crawl under the warm duvet, place your head on the soft pillow, and before you know it, you’re fast asleep. But at some point in the night, around 2am, a small hand begins to shake your shoulder, pulling you from a deep and glorious sleep. Your little one has woken up again and can’t get back to sleep.

Everyone wakes regularly during the night, in between sleep cycles. It's just generally so brief we don't remember it as we roll over and go back to sleep. While this is absolutely normal preschool behaviour and frankly something you should expect, excessive night wakings can be difficult and frustrating for both you and your child. The length and quality of our sleep massively affect overall wellbeing, so it’s really important to us that you and your family are all sleeping well!

But before we dive into the various strategies to help you cope with night wakings, it will be helpful to first identify why your child might be waking at night.

Why does my child keep waking at night?

There are a number of different reasons for your child’s night wakings:

They need to use the toilet, or they have a wet nappy.

They’ve had a nightmare or have a touch of separation anxiety.

Their nap schedule is off, or their bedtime is too late/early.

The bedtime environment isn’t conducive to sleep.

They’re hungry or thirsty.

Allergies or asthma.

Insomnia.

Now that we have a better understanding of why your child wakes at night, let’s explore what can be done about it.

How do I solve my child’s night waking?

Implement the following strategies gradually and with patience.

Needing the toilet

If your child wakes to use the bathroom or from a wet and uncomfortable nappy, there are a couple of things you can do to help. Try to limit fluids in the two hours before bedtime, and make sure your little one is wearing an extra absorbent nappy to bed, if they still use one. It will also help to take them to use the toilet several times during the bedtime routine and once more just before turning off the lights. Be patient and sensitive to a child who is newly potty-trained. It’s a long process and if they feel nervous or guilty, their sleep will suffer.

Nightmares, night fears and separation anxiety

If your little one often wakes from nightmares or fears, there are a few steps you can take. For many kids, the mere presence of a parent will be enough to calm them. By setting up a little sleeping area in your bedroom, equipped with a pillow, sleeping bag or blanket, your night-waker can quietly sneak into your bedroom and settle down to sleep once more. They might also feel safer with some bedroom company. A sibling will do wonders, but even a cuddly toy or a calming audiobook could help them to feel less alone. Some kids will also feel safer with a nightlight or torch beside their bed. Ask your preschooler if this will help.

For children with nighttime separation anxiety, it’s important to maintain a stable and consistent bedtime routine. The regular and peaceful routine will help to calm them as they drift off. Make sure to reassure them that you’re always nearby and that you will see them as soon as they wake up. You can also encourage their attachment to a lovey (a special comfort blanket or cuddly toy).

Nap and bedtime schedule

When it comes to naps and bedtime, there isn't one right way to do things. However, we’ve come up with 4 general rules of thumb for nap and bedtime schedules:

Try to schedule naps in the early afternoon, about a half-hour after lunch.

Naps should last between 1 and 2 hours.

Preschoolers need between 10 and 12 hours of sleep each night.

Base your set bedtime around your schedule and your child’s sleep needs. Then stick to it!

Children will often wake during the night if they’re getting too little sleep or their regular nap and bedtimes are disturbed, so consider their sleep schedule and be consistent.

The bedtime environment isn’t conducive to sleep

Some kids can sleep practically anywhere, while some wake at the slightest discomfort. As your little one sleeps, examine their bedroom environment to see if anything might be waking them at night. Perhaps the room is too hot or too cold, or the noises in and outside the house disturb them. Maybe the room is too light to induce deep sleep, or the bed’s a little uncomfortable.

When examining their bedroom environment, bear the following in mind:

The ideal bedroom temperature lies somewhere between 15 and 19 degrees Celsius (60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit).

Fans and white noise machines are great for drowning out any ambient noise.

If their room is too light, consider installing a black-out blind and always opt for dim, blue nightlights that mimic moonlight and not sunlight.

Beds must be level, firm, and comfortable.

They’re hungry or thirsty

A lot of kids wake up hungry or thirsty. A small cup or bottle of water they can easily open during the night placed next to their bed can help if they wake thirsty during the night and is a pretty easy fix. When it comes to food, there are a couple of things to be aware of. Providing a small snack thirty minutes to an hour before bedtime should curb nighttime hunger, but you shouldn't serve your kids just anything. Some foods such as red meats, juices, sugars, and carbs actually prevent sleep, while others can help to induce it.

We’ve put together a helpful list of sleep-inducing pre-bedtime snacks:

Peanut butter sandwich.

Bagels with cheese.

Porridge and bananas.

Yoghurt and berries.

A small portion of almonds and cashews.

Apple slices.

Allergies and asthma

If your child coughs and sneezes during sleep or has trouble breathing, they might be suffering from allergies or asthma. If you think this might be the case, it’s very important that you take them to a healthcare professional.

Insomnia

If it takes your child a long time to fall asleep, and they often wake for long periods, they could have a sleep disorder known as insomnia (an inability to sleep even when tired). While a lot of the strategies previously mentioned might ease the effects of insomnia, we strongly recommend seeking advice from a sleep consultant or other sleep professional.

What are nighttime wakings?

From Unii’s Toddler Sleep Journey, we share what you can do about your child’s night waking.