What the heck is sleep pressure?
“Why is my baby fighting sleep?”
This is a question I get frequently asked, and while it is not a cut and dry answer, one of the most common culprits is an imbalance in sleep pressure. So, what the heck is sleep pressure? Let’s dive in.
Here’s the science: Adenosine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that helps regulate sleep drive in the sleep/wake cycle. This occurs in both your baby and you! Adenosine levels increase while you're awake and they decrease when you sleep. As adenosine builds, it increases the drive to sleep. When optimizing sleep, we want to find the timing where the level is appropriate. Once we find that level, your baby should fall asleep easily and stay asleep for an appropriate amount of time. However, if adenosine levels rise too much, cortisol is released, which causes your child to become overtired. This makes it hard for them to sleep, because their brain is sending the signal to wake up during that sleep opportunity.
Okay, now let’s explain it in normal terms
Let’s break it down: Think of your baby’s optimal sleep like a cup of water and, girl, you are thirsty. You want to fill the cup up just right so you have enough to drink, but not so much that it will spill over. If it is too low, you'll still be thirsty. Overfill it and you have a mess to clean up.
Now what? Don't worry, it’s not that serious. You can find the right timing that works for your baby, and trust that your baby will show you when it is not working anymore. Even if your baby becomes overtired, it is not the end of the world (I know.. shocker right?!) The internet has probably scared you into believing that your baby becoming overtired is the worst case scenario, but I promise it’s not. Help your baby sleep, keep track of the data your child is showing you, and move on.
Remember that sleep disruption is data. When sleep is weird, don’t panic! Every weird nap or night, every protest, every early morning can all help you discover what works for your specific child. Get curious, play detective, log sleep if it’s helpful. Do whatever you need to do to see clearly. Still feeling overwhelmed and in need of more? I am here to hold your hand while we figure it out together.
