4. Missing A Sleep Window
Have you ever felt exhausted, only to get a “second wind?” You probably knew that your bed time was approaching, and were listening to your body react to the natural melatonin being released. But when you stayed up just a little too late, you became the victim of a rush of cortisol, which overstimulated you and caused you to be wide awake. Kids experience the same thing when they miss their sleep window. As a parent, keep close attention to sleep cues that they exhibit to signal they are approaching bed time. These cues can include yawning, crankiness, whining, and rubbing their eyes. If you miss a sleep window, your child will not only be difficult to calm down, but will be over tired and even more challenging to coax to sleep. Do yourself a favor and capture their sleep window!