Young children often wake up at dawn, which can drive their parents to despair. Although this is a normal development in biorhythms, the early waking of a child can be attributed to a disturbed sleep pattern. Each person has an individual internal clock that determines when to sleep and when to wake. As night falls, the body produces sleep hormones that help us to relax and rest the body.

 

With the first rays of sunshine in the morning, the sleep hormones are replaced by wake hormones. Children who wake up at half past five in the morning in summer therefore actually have a healthy and naturally adjusted internal clock, while adults have adapted their rhythm to their everyday lives over the course of their lives.

 

If a child wakes up crying early in the morning, this indicates a disturbed sleep rhythm. The child must learn to fall asleep again. A child should wake up happy in the morning as a sign that it has had enough sleep.

 

Measures against disturbed sleep behaviour

It often makes a difference to put the child to bed a little later. Most children master the clock change between summer and winter time within 4 to 5 days if we adjust their sleep rhythm accordingly.

Unfortunately, it doesn't always work to simply put a child to bed later. Many children simply learn to get by with less sleep and still wake up at the same time. They are then often in a bad mood during the day because they haven't had enough sleep.

 

So instead of changing the child's sleep rhythm, we should concentrate on the waking rhythm. With a little time and patience, children can learn to fit into our daily rhythm. If the child wakes up early, for example, you can let them play alone in their room for a while by putting enough toys within their reach.

 

You can give them a children's clock and explain to them that they are not allowed to come into Mummy and Daddy's room until the little hand is on the seven.

 

If the child wants to be close to his parents instead of in his room, you can put toys in the parents' bedroom and allow him to play there quietly for a while.

 

The child should receive a small reward, such as stickers on a calendar, for every morning on which they do not disturb their parents so early.

 

Of course, you should make sure that the child does not wake up because it is cold or has a problem. A child who kicks his blanket off during sleep may sleep better in a sleeping bag.

 

Children who ask for something to drink when they wake up can be given a drink next to their bed so that they can help themselves.

 

You can put out a small bag or a small box of surprise toys to motivate the children to occupy themselves in the morning.