Creating a Sleep Conducive Environment

You will constantly hear me banging on about the “ideal sleep environment” and the truth is, in many cases if you are experiencing sleep issues there is typically a common denominator found in your environment.

So what are some things we want to have a look at?

DARKNESS

This is not to say your baby won't ever sleep in a grey room again, however if you are experiencing things such as early morning waking, catnapping or fragmented sleep overnight and the room is not dark or you are using a red light, making the room darker may improve this!

Darkness encourages the continuation of sleep, it is not uncommon to see a baby struggling with catnapping or frequently waking overnight to do so if their environment is not dark.

NOISE

Surprisingly, noise is a one of the leading factors to early morning rising as it is one of the physical environmental triggers (zeitgebers) that cue your circadian rhythm (internal biological clock) that it is time to wake up!

Consider a white noise machine, I am a huge advocate for these as they don't only act as a positive sleep association that cue your baby it is time for sleep, they also block any environmental noise that could cause your baby to wake.

A good option is something like the Glow Dreaming machine which can be used from when your baby is a newborn through to toddler as it can turn into a ok-to-wake clock.

I recommend to use white noise for all sleep, day and night and playing on rotation for the entire duration of their sleep.

TEMPERATURE

Research shows us the ideal and safe sleep temperature for a baby is between 18-22 degrees Celsius (64-72f). This isn't always achievable, especially in countries that experience extreme variations between winter and summer therefore always ensure your baby is layered appropriately for the temperature.

Refer to the manufacturing guidelines of your specific sleep suit as they do vary!

It's also SO important to highlight that the above is just a guide, if your baby sleeps well during the day in a grey room there is absolutely NO need to make it dark! The same would apply for white noise!

If your baby's sleep environment seem to be in line with our recommendations while sleep is still messy, we can help!

• For small tweaks to routine, have a look at our Quick Chat - 15min option
• For parents struggling with several things such as catnapping, frequent night waking, early morning rising or things that simply no longer work, have a look at our Phone + One Week Support option.
• Have a baby on the way or are looking to set up a good sleep space for your newborn? Check out our Newborn Sleep Guide to see how plus so much more! 

Until next time, 

The Sleepy Little Bubs Team x