Tired of 5am wake-ups? Here’s what actually works!

We’ve all been there — your baby starts whining at 5am, and you drag yourself out of bed while it’s still dark (especially in winter!). You’re left wondering why your little one can’t sleep past 6am, or at least until the sun is up!

You’re not alone — early morning wakes are one of the biggest struggles I see with the families I work with. I’ve been there too with my son, Jamie. Keep reading — I’m going to walk you through the most common reasons, one by one.

Why is my baby waking so early?

Babies are naturally lighter sleepers in the early hours — the last part of the night is made up of light sleep cycles, so they’re more easily disturbed. Some common culprits:

OVERTIRED (bedtime is too late – yes, really!)

This is the no. 1 reason babies wake early. Moving bedtime later doesn’t always mean they’ll wake later — often, it backfires. Babies naturally get sleepy in the early evening because of their circadian rhythm. If they stay up too late, they get overtired, cortisol rises, and they wake earlier. An earlier bedtime helps them sleep longer and more soundly.

So, try bringing bedtime as early as 6:30 PM tonight and see if it helps!

UNDERTIRED (too much day sleep?)

Make sure your baby’s naps are age-appropriate — too much daytime sleep can leave them undertired, meaning they need less sleep at night, which can lead to split nights or early wakes.

Follow my Instagram for age-appropriate routines!

LIGHT (sunlight sneaking in?)

Even tiny beams of sunlight coming through the window can tell your baby it’s playtime! Then they’ll naturally call out for mum. The best trick is to keep the room as dark as possible — use blackout blinds to trick your baby into thinking it’s still nighttime so they might drift back to sleep.

The easiest fix? Get some portable blackout blinds and stick them onto the windows — quick and effective!

COLDNESS (especially in winter)

Temperatures can drop a lot in the early hours. The ideal room temperature for sleep is 20–22°C. If it’s much colder, your baby may wake up because they’re cold. Dress your baby for the temperature — signs they’re cold include curling up tightly on their tummy, peeing through their nappy, or having a cool neck.

With these tips, I believe your baby’s early wakes will start to improve in just a few nights! Be sure to stick with any changes for at least three nights to see results. If things still aren’t improving, there may be something more going on — feel free to book a free call with me anytime to chat it through! 💛