How to Stop 5AM Wake-Ups: A Sleep Guide for Tired Parents
A Free Guide to Conquering Early Morning Wake-Ups
By Megan, OCN-Certified Sleep Consultant & Founder of The Lullaby Mummy
“Why Is My Baby Waking So Early?”
If your baby or toddler is consistently waking around 5:00 AM (or earlier), you’re not alone and you’re definitely not imagining it. Early mornings can be one of the most frustrating sleep challenges for parents because:
Your little one seems "wide awake and ready to go"
It’s too early to start the day, but too late to resettle easily
Everyone’s still tired
The good news? Early wakings are usually fixable, and they often come down to a few key areas especially sleep pressure and the balance of daytime sleep.
What Is Sleep Pressure?
Sleep pressure is a biological build-up of the need to sleep. Think of it like a balloon filling with air the longer your baby is awake. Eventually, that balloon gets full and “pops" aka your child becomes tired and ready for sleep.
But if your baby hasn’t been awake long enough before bed—or if they’ve had too much day sleep that balloon isn’t full. There's not enough pressure built up to sleep through the entire night, which often results in early waking around 4:30–5:30 AM.
Why 5AM Wake-Ups Happen
Here are the most common causes of early morning waking:
1. Too Much Daytime Sleep
Naps that are too long or too late can reduce nighttime sleep drive.
A baby who naps too much during the day may have already "filled their sleep tank" by 5 AM.
2. Is Bedtime Too Early?
An early bedtime can be helpful but if it’s too early for your child’s current sleep needs, they may simply be done sleeping by 5 AM.
Total sleep across 24 hours is relatively fixed by age, so we need to spread it carefully.
3. Too Little Sleep Pressure Before Bed
Long wake windows before bedtime help build strong sleep pressure.
Short wake windows = your little one hasn’t built enough of a drive to sleep through to 6 or 7 AM.
4. Light or Noise Exposure
The early morning hours are light-sensitive. Even a sliver of sunlight can cue your baby’s brain that it’s time to start the day.
Noise (bin trucks, birds, heating systems) can also interrupt sleep.
Fixing the 5AM Wake-Up: A Practical Action Plan
1. Check Your Nap Schedule
Look at the total amount of daytime sleep.
For example:
6–9 months: 2–3 hours across 2–3 naps
10–14 months: 2–2.5 hours across 1–2 naps
15+ months (on one nap): 1.5–2 hours is plenty
Too much nap time? Gently reduce the duration by 10–15 minutes every few days and watch for improvements in the morning.
2. Reassess Bedtime
If your little one is going to bed at 6:00 PM and waking at 5:00 AM—they may simply be done sleeping.
Gradually shift bedtime later in 15-minute increments over several nights.
Ideal bedtime for most toddlers: between 6:45 PM and 7:30 PM depending on naps and wake-up time.
4. Is the bedroom dark enough?
Use blackout blinds and ensure the room is pitch black until at least 6:30 -7:00 AM. You shouldn’t be able to see your hand in front of you.
Try this test: go into your child’s room during the day, close the curtains, and check if any light leaks through. If it does, it’s not dark enough.
5. Pause Before Responding
At 5:00 AM, your baby may still be in a light sleep phase, not fully awake.
Give them a few minutes to see if they resettle on their own.
Keep interaction minimal if you do go in.
6. Are they waking out of habit?
If your little one always gets milk at 5 AM, they may be waking for it.
Gradually push the first feed by 15-minute intervals every few days.
Avoid reinforcing early waking with milk immediately (unless they’re clearly really hungry and still have night feeds)
Realistic Expectations
Change takes time. It can take up to two weeks of consistent tweaks to see real improvements.
Their body clock just needs some gentle realignment.
From Megan, Your Sleep Consultant
As an OCN-Certified Sleep Consultant and founder of The Lullaby Mummy, I’ve worked with lots of families who felt stuck in the early-morning trap. With small, targeted changes—especially around sleep pressure and nap timing things can improve faster than you’d think.
You deserve sleep. Your little one does too. And you don’t have to power through 5 AM starts forever.
Need Personalised Support?
If early waking is persisting and you’re feeling completely lost and exhausted, I offer one-on-one support packages to help you get your family's sleep back on track.
Book a free chat with me today.
Megan x
thelullabymummy.com
Email : Megan@thelullabymummy.com
Instagram: @thelullabymummy