{"id":2898,"date":"2018-06-10T10:00:50","date_gmt":"2018-06-10T10:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/?page_id=2898"},"modified":"2019-05-15T23:25:19","modified_gmt":"2019-05-15T23:25:19","slug":"5-toddler-sleep-myths-debunked","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/how-toddlers-sleep\/5-toddler-sleep-myths-debunked\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 5 Toddler Sleep Myths Debunked"},"content":{"rendered":"

So you managed to make it through the sleepless nights of your child\u2019s infancy. Congratulations! Now that your precious baby is a toddler, you\u2019ll observe some developments in their behavior<\/a>. Their motor and communication skills will improve drastically, they\u2019ll be able to express themselves through hugs, kisses, and tantrums—unfortunately—and they will have a lot of energy to learn about everything around them. You\u2019ll probably hear another set of advice and suggestions from other parents on how to handle your growing child, and some of their supposedly wise words may conflict\u00a0with what you\u2019ve read from books and expert\u00a0sources.<\/p>\n

Once again, we are here to help you separate the facts from old wives’ tales when it comes to sleep. Here are the\u00a0five\u00a0most common myths toddler\u2019s sleep—debunked!<\/p>\n

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MYTH<\/b> #1: Never Wake Up a Sleeping Toddler.<\/b><\/p>\n

Who would want to wake up a sleeping toddler? It sure would sound crazy to a parent—or to anyone, for that matter—if you tell them that they should wake up a sleeping child.\u00a0Not only will you disturb their sleep, but you risk losing precious moments of peace and silence for yourself, which comes very scarcely when you have a toddler. It may be hard to believe and follow, but it\u2019s actually better to set a sleep schedule for them and wake them up at a constant time in the morning<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>, preferably between 6 to 8 AM<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> since their natural bedtime falls between 6:30 to 8:30 PM.<\/p>\n

Toddlers generally need 12 to 15 hours of sleep<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>. These include daytime naps and nighttime sleep. If they overslept during the day—through extra hours in the morning or unscheduled and scattered naps—they will have a harder time falling asleep at night, or they will experience increased wakefulness, since they\u2019ve already spent their \u201csleep hours\u201d. This also means less sleep for the parents since toddlers who are wide awake will surely seek their attention. It\u2019s important to set a sleep schedule for the toddler<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> and stick to it.<\/p>\n

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MYTH<\/b> #2: Late Bedtime Equals Late Wake-Up Time.<\/b><\/p>\n

If your toddler is already wide awake at 3 or 4 AM, your solution may be to put them to sleep at a later time expecting them to adjust accordingly and wake up a couple of hours later, as well. This is actually a common mistake<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> committed by parents, and aggravates the situation even more. Toddlers typically wake up early<\/a> regardless of the time they went to bed.\u00a0Tucking them in later will result\u00a0in an a shorter period of sleep, possibly also resulting\u00a0in a cranky and irritable child during the day. They may also compensate with excessive daytime naps, which will result in another late bedtime in the evening—a domino effect that you definitely don\u2019t want to start. Besides, a late bedtime could possibly result in a fatigued child that will have a more difficult time falling asleep—more on this later on.<\/p>\n

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MYTH<\/b> #3: Sleep Training is Not For Toddlers.<\/b><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s set the record straight: Sleep training, or teaching your toddler to sleep on their own, is not a bad thing<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>—and it’s\u00a0not\u00a0only for <\/u><\/span><\/span>i<\/u><\/span><\/span>nfants<\/a>. Sleep training will ultimately result\u00a0in healthier sleep habits and less tantrums during the night. Moreover, a study in Australia found out that babies\u00a0that underwent certain methods of sleep training had less stress hormones in their saliva, meaning they experienced less stress and anxiety<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>\u00a0compared to those who didn\u2019t follow any sleep training method. There weren\u2019t any emotional or behavioral differences between the two groups, either; even after 12 months from when sleep training was started. And at this age, it\u2019s even perfectly fine to start training the child to sleep in their own bedroom<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>, much more to sleep without your help.<\/p>\n