Summer is a time of change for children: the summer vacations are here, the sun and heat are here, Mum and Dad aren't working, and the days are longer and busier... And while, as an adult, you know how to regulate your need for sleep and go to bed earlier or sleep longer when you need to, this is not yet the case for your child. So when one bad night follows another - too short, too hot or too restless - the days turn to disaster. Adapting baby's sleep patterns becomes essential. Discover our advice on temperature, atmosphere and sensory cues, especially in summer.
CONTENTS :
- Circadian rhythm: how baby perceives day and night (and why it's so important for sleep)
- Heat and sleep: always a complicated duo to tame
- Baby on vacation: managing naps and nights away from home
- Observe, understand, adjust: instinctive parenting
Circadian rhythm: how baby perceives day and night (and why it's so important for sleep)
At birth, babies don't know the difference between day and night. Their circadian rhythm (from the Latin circa, "around", and dies, "day), i.e. their internal biological clock, is still immature and is gradually being structured according to their environment (hello choppy nights 👋).
- Is your baby still not sleeping through the night? Discover our 10 tips for dealing with sleep deprivation
Between 0 and 3 months, baby's sleep is called ultradian: in other words, your child sleeps according to his or her physiological needs, in very short cycles of around 50 to 60 minutes, with no clear distinction between night and day. It's not untilaround 10 to 12 weeks that circadian regulation begins to make itself felt, under the influence of natural light and parental routines.
To put your mind at rest (or not 😅) ,a study of 388 6-month-old infants published in Pediatrics in 2018 reports that at this age, 38% of babies don't sleep 6 hours in a row, and 57% don't sleep 8 hours in a row. At 1 year, these proportions gradually improve: only 28% do not sleep 6 hours continuously, and 43% still do not have 8-hour nights.
The role of light and melatonin
Melatonin, secreted by the body at nightfall, is literally the "sleep hormone". However, its production doesn't begin until 6 to 8 weeks of age, and at a low rate. Too much light at bedtime - sunlight, but also the blue light of screens - can inhibit this fragile secretion, delaying sleep and fragmenting sleep.
This is why, during the summer season, with late sunsets or a room bathed in sunlight in the early morning, baby can :
- find it more difficult to fall asleep,
- waking up too early, or more often,
- show marked signs of fatigue or irritability during the day.
What the research says
An article published in the journal Science Direct in December 2022 validates the idea that seasonal variations in light levels can actually increase sleep disorders in young children. In particular, the researchers refer to "seasonality in the sleep microstructure of the youngest children".
Heat and sleep: always a complicated duo to tame
Visit toddler sleep is a fine-tuned mechanism in which every parameter counts, including body temperature. And so it is, to sleep well, the body needs to cool down slightly. That's why it's so hard to fall asleep during the heatwave, when the thermometer barely dips outside, and climbs inside the house.But beyond the discomfort, an excessively warm environment exposes infants, whose thermal regulation is still immature, to the risk of hyperthermia. Your pediatrician recommends a temperature of between 18 and 20°C in your baby's room, precisely to alleviate this problem.
In addition, and even more so when this is not possible, adapt your child's clothing. A light, short-sleeved bodysuit, or just a diaper with a very fine cotton sleeping bag, may be enough. When in doubt, place your hand on the back of his neck: if it's clammy or warm, baby is too hot.
How do you create a cool, calm environment for a good night's sleep?
Walks, days at the beach, family visits, happy voices bursting out around a meal... For toddlers, summer brings with it a kind of sensory overflow that must be brought down before bedtime.
Here, you can set up a little decompression break at the end of the day. A warm bath, a gentle massage, a cuddle in the light of a subdued lamp... anything that soothes the senses encourages a return to calm. Reducing stimuli gradually creates a reassuring cocoon that initiates rest.
During the day, pay attention to the little signs of fatigue: a glance that turns away, a yawn, a loss of interest in play, a little hand rubbing the eyes, a pacifier being asked for... These are all invitations to suggest bedtime, without waiting for the excitement to take over.
💧A tip: at the usual time when baby goes to bed, give him a bath, even a quick one, to relax him and condition the fact that it's time to rest. And for even greater well-being, use Élhée 3-in-1 cleansing foam. Soap-free, sulfate-free, with no synthetic fragrances, colorants or endocrine disruptors, it's enriched with organic aloe vera for soft, cleansed and respected skin.
5 ways to get a good night's sleep despite the heat
- Close shutters and/or draw curtains by mid-morning.
- Ventilate your home early in the morning and late at night.
- Give your child a lukewarm bath at the end of the day (between 35 and 36°C).
- Dress baby according to room temperature(diaper only if it's over 27°C).
- Slow down after 5pm: dim the lights and limit stimuli.
- Expose your child to daylight in the morning (natural light when waking up in his room, bottle-feeding outside if possible, stroller rides...).
- Dim the lights in his room in the late afternoon.
- Avoid bright light sources after 6pm.
- To complement this, and even if it's a little more complicated in summer, set up a routine of times, gestures and moods to help your child's body anticipate falling asleep.
🍼 Focus Élhée: from 6 months, you can give your baby water to keep him hydrated, in addition to his meals. For this purpose, Élhée has developed a 100% safe medical silicone learning cup with a non-leak system that allows your child to drink without tilting his head. A cup so safe, you can leave it overnight. For infants, you can divide up the bottles or feeds, enabling them to drink more often, in small quantities.
Baby on vacation: managing naps and nights away from home
If you've ever done it, you'll know that going on vacation with children means taking a break with the family... but it also means upsetting their bearings a little. In the car, in a tent, with grandparents or in a hotel, sleep becomes more fragile, simply because the environment is different.
In this case, your mission is to recreate a reassuring cocoon with 2 or 3 sensory cues that baby knows well: a diaper or blanket impregnated with his scent, the nightlight in his room, the music you play for him every evening... It's enough to establish a sense of normalcy and security, even away from home.
Likewise, during journeys, try to maintain some kind of regularity in feeding : offer a bottle at regular intervals, anticipate breaks, and listen to your baby's needs (heat, tiredness, nervousness...). The practical Élhée nomad bottle warmer lets you prepare a warm bottle in just a few minutes, anywhere, anytime.
And above all, don't worry: whatever your baby's sleep pattern on vacation, it will regulate itself naturally once you get home. His internal rhythm will gradually find its bearings, gently.
🎵 Bonus: have you ever thought of creating a Spotify playlist just for baby?
😴 Summer sleep kit for baby
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Observe, understand, adjust: instinctive parenting
In summer, schedules are stretched, points of reference shift, and the usual rhythms unravel a little. And that's normal. And if you don't want to miss the boat on the right bedtime for baby, there's only one thing to do: observe him.
Especially if the nap is skipped, especially if falling asleep is slow. Don't feel guilty. You know your baby: just watch and you'll know. What's more, if you're stressed by the idea that your child isn't getting enough sleep, he'll sense it and nothing will get better...
Slowing down inwardly, holding baby skin-to-skin, rocking him... these small gestures are often enough to start a return to calm. Contact, voice and breathing can be powerful cues.
In fact, why not create a vacation ritual, a little emotional capsule? A familiar object, music that's always the same, a whispered lullaby... a discreet thread that brings us back to what's essential: the security of the bond, trust, and each child's own rhythm.
Have a great summer with baby, find your own tempo!
A baby's sleep is never set in stone. It evolves, changes and sometimes adjusts with the seasons. Summer is not a milestone to be passed, but an invitation to slow down, to listen, to take a step aside.
By respecting your baby's rhythm, his signals, his needs and his own little moments of tiredness, you help him build his bearings, even away from home. And, by showing the same kindness to yourself as to your baby, you create a summer in your own image: light, supple and deeply soothing.
So let yourself be carried along. And if bedtime comes later, if a nap is forgotten or if a bottle is out of place... it doesn't matter. That's just the way life is in summer.
Les biberons Élhée accompagneront votre bébé de la naissance jusqu'à 24 mois et plus, pour lui permettre une parfaite autonomie, sans risque de casse.
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