At bedtime children often show early and advanced sleep signs before they enter the overtired zone, which in research is referred to as the Wake Maintenance Zone. Understanding these patterns can help pin down optimal bedtimes, which may involve using the Bedtime Fading technique in the short-term to strengthen sleep associations.
Avoiding overtiredness
When we are tired in the evening and we don’t go to sleep, our bodies release Cortisol which stimulates the release of Adrenaline, giving us a boost of energy. To avoid this happening to your child, learn to understand evening sleepy zones. Watch your child for early signs of being tired (gazing, staring off, a quiet moment, or stopping play for a moment) and advanced sleep signs (rubbing the eyes, yawning, pulling the ears, fussiness and crying, or physical signs such as red eyes or eye brows). At these times, be sure to get your child into their sleep place to avoid your child entering into the overtired zone (Wake Maintenance Zone) or getting a “second wind”.
