The wake-to-sleep Strategy
Could This Be the Secret to Better Sleep?
If your Babe wakes like clockwork every. single. night… or consistently naps for 33 minutes on the dot… then this one’s for you.
Let’s talk about the Wake-to-Sleep Strategy, a sneaky little trick that works with your Bub’s natural sleep cycles to gently disrupt habitual wakes (aka, those weirdly predictable ones that don’t seem hunger-related and don’t change no matter what you try).
So what is the Wake-to-Sleep method?
It’s a technique where you gently rouse or stir your babe before they would normally wake up, either overnight or during a nap, to shift their sleep cycle.
The goal? To break the cycle of habitual wakes by helping your Bub transition into the next sleep cycle, rather than fully waking up like they usually would.
It sounds a little counterintuitive (I know… waking a sleeping baby?!) but stick with me.
When would you use it?
This strategy is particularly helpful if:
Your Bub wakes at the exact same time every night
Naps are short and predictable (like, always 30–45 minutes)
You've ruled out genuine hunger, discomfort or environmental factors
You’ll want to have a solid understanding of sleep cycles before jumping in, because timing is everything.
How do sleep cycles actually work?
For babies, a sleep cycle generally lasts around 45 minutes during the day. Overnight it varies more, depending on how tired they were at bedtime, where they’re at in the night and the mix of sleep hormones doing their thing.
Just like adults, babies naturally stir or briefly wake between these cycles - sometimes rolling over, grizzling or even fully waking up if something feels a little “off” (like a missing dummy or if they’re used to being fed or rocked back to sleep).
That’s where habitual wakes can sneak in and get comfy.
Naps + the Wake-to-Sleep Method
If your Bub consistently wakes up after 30–45 minutes, you might be dealing with what we call a “cat napper.”
If they can already put themselves to sleep at the start of a nap, this strategy might help them learn to stay asleep through that tricky transition between cycles.
Important note: If your Babe still relies on you (feeding, rocking, patting etc.) to fall asleep, this method might not be the right fit just yet. Waking them mid-cycle when they can’t self-settle could actually make things harder.
How to try the Wake-to-Sleep method for naps
Watch the clock
Let your babe fall asleep for their nap like usual. At about the 20–25 minute mark, quietly head into their sleep space.Gently stir
Give them a light jiggle, adjust their position, pop the dummy in and out, something super gentle to make them stir but not fully wake.Let them drift back off
The goal is for them to stir enough that their body hits “reset” on their sleep cycle and instead of waking up at 30–40 minutes, they roll into another full cycle.
If it works? You’ve just bought yourself a juicy 1+ hour nap. If not? You might’ve lost 5–10 minutes of a nap that was probably going to be short anyway. Not the end of the world.
Try it consistently for 3–5 naps before deciding if it’s a keeper.
Early wakes or overnight wakes
For example:
Bub wakes every night at 11pm? Try a gentle stir around 10:40pm.
Babe up at 5am daily, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed? Try a little rouse at 4:45am.
A couple of things to remember:
Make sure your nap routine is solid and age-appropriate (if naps are too early or long, 5am wakes will keep happening no matter what)
You might need to experiment with the timing. 20 to 40 minutes before the usual wake
If it works, repeat it for 3–5 nights until a new wake-up time becomes the norm
If they still wake at the same time, you may not be stirring enough so try a slightly firmer jiggle or adjust their position more.
Real talk: Does this actually work?
Honestly? About 50–60% of the time in my experience.
The biggest hurdle is usually just getting parents to try it because waking a sleeping baby feels like some kind of parenting crime 😅
But when it does work, it’s magic. Just a little strategic wiggle and you might get a full night or longer nap in return.
It’s low risk, high reward. And maybe worth a shot.
If you're ready to try it but want a second pair of eyes on your routine before you do... I'm your Sleep Bestie.
💤 You’ll find nap routines, sleep cycle breakdowns, and wake-to-sleep timing through my sleep support packages - I’ll walk you through it step-by-step.
Because you can have longer naps, better nights and a little more sanity without overhauling everything or letting them cry.
Let’s get your Babe sleeping better, the gentle way. 💛
