Child or baby wake up too early? How to fix early rising (4 AM, 5 AM wake-ups)

Macall Gordon, M.A.
7 days ago
5 min read

This is one of the most common questions I get as a sleep coach: "Why does my baby wake up so early?" If your baby wakes up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 5 o'clock in the morning (or 4...or even 3), you are not alone. This is especially frustrating for parents of children over 6 months old who should be capable of sleeping longer.

Early rising is tricky to solve because, once it gets going, it becomes self-perpetuating. Understanding the sneaky causes can help you get ahead of it.

Why does my baby wake up so early? The 5 main causes

According to Kim West, MSW (aka "The Sleep Lady"), there are five things that contribute to early rising when your baby wakes up too early:

1. Nap deprivation – Your baby wakes up early because they're overtired

Most of the culprits of early rising are related to overtiredness. Make sure you know how much naptime your child should be getting for their age:

Age-appropriate nap totals:

Up to about 11 months: Babies need about 3.5 hours of naptime
Between 1 and 2 years: About 2.5 hours of naptime
By age 3: About 90 minutes of naptime

When babies don't get enough daytime sleep, they become overtired, which paradoxically causes them to wake up even earlier. (Get my Sleep Targets Cheatsheet here.)

2. Too late a bedtime – Your baby wakes up early because bedtime is too late

Here's a sneaky part of early rising: If your baby wakes up at 5 AM, a 7 PM bedtime may be too late (without extra naptime).

When children are up early, parents often push bedtime later in the hopes that the child will sleep later. Ready for a shocker? The opposite is, in fact, true. An earlier bedtime can actually mean better (and longer) sleep.

3. Too big a wake window – Your baby wakes up because they're staying awake too long

This is another element of overtiredness that contributes to early rising. If you stay on the same schedule, chances are, there's some moment when the wake window is too big.

When children get into the "overtired" zone, their body releases chemicals meant to help the child stay awake. These chemicals really do a number on sleep, including how long they can sleep at night, which is why your baby wakes up too early the next morning.

4. Getting put down too drowsy – Your baby wakes up because they can't self-soothe

And here's the big one:

If a child doesn't fall asleep on their own, they won't know how to go back to sleep when they wake too early. This is the most important factor when your baby wakes up at 5 AM crying and can't resettle.

5. Sleep Apnea – Your baby wakes up because of breathing problems

There is also a fifth potential contributor to early rising:

Sleep apnea. If your child snores or breathes through their mouth during sleep (not related to a cold), if they tend to sweat while they sleep (not related to being warm), or they seem persistently restless, they could have enlarged adenoids or tonsils that make breathing difficult.

Early rising can be a by-product of obstructed breathing. If your child has any of these symptoms, talk to your pediatrician.

What you can do to stop your baby from waking up too early

When your baby wakes up too early consistently, you need to disrupt the early rising cycle. Here's what to do:

1. Work on the schedule

Given that overtiredness is a huge culprit of early waking when your baby wakes up at 4 or 5 AM, make sure that the schedule is on point.

Action Steps:

Check nap targets and get them close to their target
Avoid that 5 AM-to-5 PM overtired cycle

They are going to need a little extra naptime to help them make it to a more normal bedtime. Try giving them a tiny "nap snack" (30-minute catnap) super early in addition to their regular nap schedule.

2. Work on go-to-sleep skills at bedtime

Make sure your little one is falling asleep without being fed or rocked and that it's taking at least ten to fifteen minutes to fall asleep.

When your baby wakes up during the night or early morning, they need to know how to put themselves back to sleep—and they can only do that if they've practiced falling asleep independently at bedtime first.

How long does it take to fix early rising?

Once everything is in place (naps, timing, and sleep skills), early rising doesn't resolve as quickly as nightwaking.

You will need to be really consistent for a week or more for the early rising to budge.

What to do when your baby wakes up at 5 AM

You only have a few choices for handling those super early wakeups when your baby wakes up too early:

Option 1: Try to resettle your baby

Get to your child quickly and try to resettle them if they still seem sleepy.

Coach them back to sleep the way you did at bedtime. Do your best to delay until 6 AM and then do what Kim West calls a "dramatic wakeup": leave the room for a few minutes, and come back in with a "Good morning! It's time to get up!"

This is a bit of playacting that communicates that you are saying "it's time to get up" and that it's not a result of an hour of fussing.

(If they're old enough, use an "okay to wake" clock that changes color at the right time. Then just point to the clock when it's time to get up.)

Option 2: Just get everyone back to sleep however you can

Sometimes you need to prioritize rest:

Co-sleep (if safe for your family)
Quick feed
Whatever works to get more sleep in the moment

Option 3: Start the day (but plan ahead)

Brew the coffee and plan for that "nap snack."

If your baby wakes up and is truly awake, you may need to accept the early start for now—but make sure to offer that extra 30-minute nap early in the day to prevent overtiredness.

Key takeaways: When your baby wakes up too early

Early rising is something that can start creating its own problems which further perpetuate it. Working to break the cycle can take persistence and consistency, but it can be done once you know about those sneaky culprits.

Remember:

Most early rising when your baby wakes up at 4 or 5 AM is caused by overtiredness
An earlier bedtime (not a later one) often helps
Teaching your baby to fall asleep independently at bedtime is crucial
Add a "nap snack" to break the overtired cycle
Be consistent for at least a week before expecting results

When your baby wakes up too early day after day, it's exhausting—but with the right approach, you can help your little one (and yourself) sleep past sunrise.

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Read Why Won’t You Sleep?! by Macall Gordon, M.A. and Kim West, MSW — available in print and now on Audible.

About Macall Gordon

Macall Gordon, M.A., has a master's degree in applied psychology from Antioch University in Seattle with a research-based specialization in infant mental health, sleep advice, and parenting culture.