How to get your baby to sleep in the summer

With the heat can be uncomfortably warm and sweaty, we all know that sleeping can be very hard for the best of us, especially for the young ones.

But ahead of the weather hitting summer levels, there are a few things you can do to help your little ones.

As Owlet’s Registered Sleep Specialist, Michelle Smith has taken the time to share her top tips on how to create the best sleep environment for babies. 

How to help your baby sleep during summer. (Canva)

How to get your baby to sleep in the summer:

Sunlight: 

Although the sunlight can be distracting and some might find it hard to sleep in the sun, it can actually benefit your sleep. 

Its proven to improve mental health and can lower risks for postnatal depression, helping the family out. 

For babies up to 12 weeks old they should be napping in normal daylight, which will help them develop their circadian rhythm, their biological clock helps them to know the difference between night and day. 

After 12 weeks they will become more alert to their surroundings and can be easily distracted during their sleep, so you'll need to make the room as dark as possible so they will nap longer and feel more refreshed. 

However, no matter how old, having a room as dark as possible will help children understand that it's night and its time to sleep.

Noise: 

Noise can also help babies establish the circadian rhythm, by using a normal daytime noise during nap time it can help your baby distinguish the difference between day and night. 

As they will hear and know that daytime is the time for playing and socialising, but then using a sound machine at night will help them recognize that it’s time for rest. 

It's best to introduce a sound machine during naps after 12 weeks old when you also start to darken their room too. 

How to help your baby sleep during summer. (Canva)

Temperature:

It's recommended that the baby's room temperatures should stay between 16C to 20C. 

And it's best to use light layers for the baby so they can stay snuggly warm whilst breathing fresh air at cooler temperatures. 

Humidity: 

Sleep experts recommend that humidity levels should be between 40-50%.

But the reality is that it can be difficult to control depending on your climate and the time of year, so it's suggested to add a humidifier to your baby's room. 

Humidifiers will not only help their skin but their lungs and nose too. 

Especially as babies are known to breathe through their nose, it means they can get stuffy so a humidifier will help clear them even more.