For parents of babies under one year old, it is important how much sleep a child should have at 5 months and beyond. This is due to the fact that during this period not only the body develops, but also the nervous system. Emotional and psychological skills, behavior, mental perception and other important aspects are laid. Rest and proper sleep contribute to the rapid restoration of strength and energy. It is necessary to comply with the age norm, as it allows you to maintain health and reduce emotional stress.
Sound sleep promotes health
How long should children sleep?
It is necessary to calculate children's sleep in order to maintain the norm of rest and wakefulness. The period of sleep continues to be long - at least 16 hours a day. A special point that occurs at 5 months is that periods of active wakefulness increase. The child spends more time playing games, trying to communicate and explore the world around him.
Doctors indicate that a child can remain active for up to 3 hours at a time. This is not considered a pathology. This happens because at 5 months the baby no longer just wants to look at the objects around him, but to learn about them. The boundaries of the baby’s interest and field of activity expand significantly.
Reducing sleep time also occurs due to improved motor skills:
- the child can squeeze toys;
- turns over;
- crawls;
- actively moves around the crib;
- plays in the arena.
A variety of devices for active games are also used: jumpers, children's swings. Information and impressions increase the child’s emotionality. To normalize rest periods, it is recommended to walk outside during the day.
Attention! Fresh air calms the child. Emotional tension subsides. The baby quickly falls asleep.
It must be taken into account that a five-month-old baby does not always sleep deeply on the street in a moving stroller. This is due to the fact that the vestibular apparatus transmits signals to the brain about changes in body position. The reason is swaying while moving. The body cannot fully relax. It’s easy to eliminate “stressful” sleep - you need to stop the stroller.
Compliance with the regime is important for harmonious development
How to avoid mistakes when developing a regime
A well-structured schedule of rest and wakefulness for a 5-month-old baby and the creation of comfortable conditions will allow you to establish the sleep necessary for a growing body.
However, it is worth paying attention to the most common mistakes parents make to prevent their repetition.
- Put your baby to bed on time, do not overload the tiny body. Otherwise, the synthesis of the sleep hormone - melatonin - will slow down, and the increased content of the stress mediator cortisol in the blood will invigorate the baby and have an exciting effect on him, like strong coffee.
- Don't blame breastfeeding for poor sleep. In fact, for a five-month-old baby, this is the best way to calm down and relax.
- Do not rush to pick up your child at the slightest whine. If this is an awakening between two sleepy cycles, then the baby will soon fall asleep again, without rocking - just gently stroke his back.
Watch for signs of sleepiness: yawning, fussing, thumb sucking or eye rubbing indicate that it's time for your baby to sleep.
Norms of night and day sleep
Compliance with the norms of sleep and wakefulness is required to maintain health and form the correct internal biorhythm. At this age, a child can sleep soundly at night for up to 10 hours, during the day - 2-3 hours. Discrepancies depend on individual characteristics, character and health status. Weak children will sleep longer, active and mobile ones will sleep less. If problems arise, or the regimen has become very disrupted, it is recommended to consult a pediatrician. The average sleep duration at 5 months is 3-4 hours during the daytime.
How long does a one year old baby sleep?
Table of daily routine for children at 5 months
| Sleep during the day (time of one rest) | At night time | Waking period | Total rest time per day |
| 3-4 hours | At least 10 hours | Up to 11 hours a day | 15-16 hours |
Sleep time may shift slightly, as the schedule is built individually. You can choose between two or three daily naps. Also, one of the rest periods may include a walk. The nutritional system also influences the formation of the regime - when choosing breastfeeding for an infant, it is preferable to feed by the hour.
Baby's night sleep
At 5 months, the baby is already adapting to the peculiarities of the outside world. A break is formed between the stages of games and sleep. Long night sleep (sometimes up to 11 hours in a row) is considered normal. At this time, the body actively replenishes the strength and energy spent on developing new skills and abilities.
Advice. There is no need to specifically wake up your child if he has had a long night's sleep.
At the appointment, doctors tell you how much sleep a child should sleep at 5 months. At this age, he usually wakes up only once a night to eat or take hygiene procedures (changing diapers). Often babies may skip night feedings. They won't wake up when nothing bothers them. It is recommended to follow the regimen in order to avoid the development of health problems in the future. It is believed that insufficient sleep negatively affects psychological components (the child becomes timid and has problems communicating).
Night rest at 5 months should be complete, as it is the most important
How long should you sleep during the day?
Daytime rest is no less important for the development and health of the child. The break between sleep is normally 3 hours. During this period, communication with parents, eating, and receiving new information occur. At five months, the period of wakefulness is cognitive, not passive.
Daytime sleep can be divided into 2 or 3 times. In total, it is recommended to give the baby a rest of 4 hours. During this time, energy will be completely restored and your emotional state will return to normal. If the three-time option is selected, the mode will look like this:
- The first period of sleep during the day should be organized 2 hours after waking up in the morning. You need to put it down immediately after eating. Time duration – 40 minutes-1 hour;
- The second rest period is 2 hours. You need to put it down after lunch. A day walk is suitable for this stage;
- The third day's rest occurs at 16.30-17.00. Its duration is about 1 hour.
Advice. It is recommended to ensure that there are no loud noises or too bright lights while you sleep.
The child will be distracted by them, which will negatively affect the quality of rest and its duration.
Common problems
At 5 months, the child becomes restless, constantly capricious, and practically does not let his mother go. The reason is that his brain is developing and perceives a lot of new information. This is stressful for the baby. To calm down, you can add lavender flowers to the water when bathing or sew them into a pillow or mattress if the baby does not have allergies.
Effective methods to help calm your baby:
- pick up, caress;
- switch attention: bring it to the window and show something on the street, turn on a funny children's song;
- tickle, make you laugh by playing with your favorite toy.
Another cause for concern: teeth begin to cut at this age. Therefore, the gums become swollen and itchy, the temperature may rise, and stomach upset may occur. To help your baby, you should buy a teething massager: the baby will pull it into his mouth and chew it, which will relieve the itching and pain. But it should be given once every 3-4 hours for a short time, so that the baby does not bite too hard and damage the cutting tooth.
Pain-relieving anti-inflammatory ointments help well, but they can only be used with the approval of a pediatrician.
How to put to bed
Plasma cells in the blood of a child according to the results of the analysis
Parents should know not only how much a 5-month-old baby sleeps, but also how rest is organized. When a baby is already in his fifth month, it can be difficult to put him to sleep. The cause may be emotional fatigue. In order for the child to be able to sleep and not wake up at the allotted time, you need to properly organize the bedtime process.
Experts recommend:
- 30-40 minutes before bedtime, reduce emotional stress;
- provide comfortable conditions for relaxation;
- dim the lights in the room or curtain the windows with thick curtains;
- remove all bright and eye-catching toys that may interest the baby.
A good way to put him to bed is to develop a sequence of actions that would show the child that it is time to rest. This method is the most effective, as it is a kind of ritual. The stages of laying down can be made non-standard, but interesting for the baby. Positive impressions will eliminate the likelihood of crying and other manifestations of dissatisfaction. The main feature is the sequence of actions.
For a certain time, you need to perform the same actions that will help the child understand that it is time to sleep:
- carry out hygiene procedures (bathing before going to bed at night);
- feeding;
- stroking or light hand massage;
- lullaby or fairy tale.
You also need to take into account that you will also need to observe rest periods. It is important to know not only how much a child sleeps during the day at 5 months, but also at what time to carry out the ritual. You cannot skip stages, break the regime or adjust it to your own needs - there will be no result.
It is necessary to provide comfortable conditions in the children's room
Why bad sleep
Until what age does a baby spit up?
In most cases, a baby at 5 months falls asleep soundly and quickly. There is an opinion that at this age he can already see colorful and interesting dreams. Sometimes parents are faced with the problem of falling asleep or a short period between rest and wakefulness. You need to know the minimum required, which will indicate the possible causes of the problem. A violation may occur:
- we cry;
- short sleep;
- restlessness while falling asleep;
- unwillingness to rest.
If there are no health problems, then you need to pay attention to the features of the child’s daily routine, his behavior, and general well-being. Sometimes poor sleep occurs after an emotional shock or the development of a new skill.
Causes of sleep disturbances
Doctors know various reasons that affect sleep disturbance and reduce its quality. At 5 months, rest and wakefulness are cycles. If the baby wakes up, it will be almost impossible for him to immediately fall asleep again (unlike adults). This is why the baby starts crying.
Among the main reasons that can lead to sleep disturbances are:
- The beginning of the process of active teething - during this period, not only swelling of the gums is observed. The teeth come out, which is accompanied by discomfort and pain. There is an increase in temperature and inflammatory processes. The combination of processes leads to a decrease in rest time. To reduce pain and the amount of saliva, it is recommended to use special means and teethers that the child can actively bite;
- General malaise and poor health are the causes of poor sleep. In 90% of cases, they are caused by allergic reactions to the introduction of new components of complementary foods. Viral infection, the influence of bacteria, pain in the abdomen are also among the reasons that reduce the quality and duration of sleep;
- Emotional fatigue - a child may begin to be capricious when the influx of new information and impressions is greater than his nervous system is able to perceive. At this moment, he cannot correctly assess what is happening. It is recommended to have a light massage before bedtime to relax the muscles and distract the child’s attention from current events;
- The feeling of hunger is the reason that does not allow the child to rest peacefully. Parents should ensure that the baby's diet meets the needs of his age. Feeding must be complete;
- Discomfortable sensations - sleep patterns may be disrupted when the child is hot or cold. Stuffiness, uncomfortable or multi-layered clothing, and too soft or hard beds also have a negative impact.
It will be difficult for a baby to fall asleep in wet clothes, so you need to change them before going to bed. Babies at this age can already roll over from side to side. They actively kick their legs, raise their arms and swing them from side to side. These movements lead to the process of awakening taking place. The movements are performed by the child involuntarily. The brain reproduces in sleep the processes it did during waking hours. Games and communication saturate with emotions, which become a reason for movement.
To reduce negative causes, parents should take into account common mistakes made. It is impossible to overload the child’s body. This applies to both food and games. Dr. Komarovsky advises regularly ventilating the children's room and carrying out wet cleaning in it. As a result, the air will become light and the stuffiness will disappear. The baby’s hormonal levels will return to normal, which contributes to quality and long-term rest. A good way to relax is breastfeeding. That is why it is recommended to carry out the process before bedtime. Another common mistake is to frequently carry a child in your arms. If he cries for no reason, then there is no need to rock him to sleep. A gentle touch or a little massage is enough.
Eliminating shortcomings and errors will eliminate problems with falling asleep
Parents should find out in advance how much sleep a 5-month-old healthy baby should sleep. The rate of sleep decreases or increases if there are problems with the body. You should make 2-3 transitions from play to rest per day. For this, a ritual is developed that helps the baby gradually change the type of activity and calm down. If he does not know where to put the accumulated energy, then it is recommended to play in the water.
Must be taken into account! An hour before bedtime, the first signs of fatigue appear: yawning, whims, thumb sucking.
Also, a few minutes before falling asleep, the baby actively begins to rub his eyes.
