Creating a Sleep Environment for Your Baby

Published on: May 12, 2021

  In this article, Ingrid shares four hacks to improve your baby’s sleep.

By Ingrid Hanifen

How important is a sleep environment for your baby? Very! 

When babies are around 6-8 weeks of age, they can habituate. Habituation in very young infants is a form of self-soothing in which babies block out outside stimuli by shutting their eyes, appearing as though they are asleep. While they are not sleeping, they are using habituation as a way of shutting everything out, so they are not getting restful, restorative sleep that recharges them.  To minimize habituation, it’s important to provide a space that is free from distractions. 

As babies get past the 6-8-week age mark, they begin to use other methods to block out stimuli, and you may notice that they appear to be awake more often and they may use other methods to self-soothe. 

Here are a few simple things you can do to create a safe, peaceful, and restful environment, away from disruptions:  

Put your baby in a dark room

The darker the better especially for naps. Blocking out visual disturbances by making the room dark can help your baby to fall asleep. Think about it, as adults, is it easier to take a nap in a dark room or a bright sunny room? Babies are no different, they need darkness too!

Set the room temperature

Studies have shown that the perfect sleeping temperature is somewhere between 20-23 degrees Celsius. In a room at this temperature, it is important to dress your baby appropriately; a pair of light pajamas and a swaddle or sleep sack will be suitable.

Try white noise

It makes a huge difference in helping to block out the distractions that keep a baby from sleeping (it helps with adults, too!). If you have older kids at home or your doorbell is constantly ringing, white noise can mask these sounds and give your baby the ability to sleep through these disruptions.

Set a schedule

Depending on your baby’s age, they can only be awake for a certain amount of time before they become overtired. Catching the “sleep wave” at the perfect time helps to ensure a longer nap and keeps your baby from getting overtired. 

Photos from Unsplash

About the Author

Ingrid Hanifen is a mother to 2 boys and lives in Bangkok. She is a nurse and has been helping tired families get more sleep since 2017 when she started Best Rest Families, LLC. For more information, please visit www.BestRestFamilies.com to see if sleep coaching is right for your family.

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