Why Your Baby Is Waking at 4 A.M. (And How to Fix Early Morning Wakings)

Written By Kerry Krause

Discover why your baby is waking at 4 A.M. and learn practical steps to fix early morning wakings with guidance from a certified pediatric sleep consultant.

Has your baby suddenly decided that 4 a.m. is their new morning? You are not alone, and you are definitely not doing anything wrong. Early morning wakings are one of the most common challenges parents bring to me and they are 100% solvable.

I want to take a moment to define what an early morning waking actually is. A typical wake time for a baby or toddler is anywhere between 5:30 and 7:00 a.m. If your little one is waking before 5:00 a.m., it’s actually still considered a night waking, not a morning wake-up.

So, if your baby is suddenly starting their day at 4-something, it makes complete sense that it feels exhausting, disorienting, and incredibly frustrating. Especially when you’re not sure why it’s happening or how to fix it.

The good news? Early rising is usually driven by a few predictable factors. With the right adjustments, most babies can sleep later. Below, I’ll walk you through why 4 a.m. wakings happen and the step-by-step plan I use as a pediatric sleep consultant to shift wake-times gently and effectively.

 

Why Babies Wake Early (Especially Around 4 A.M.)

Reason #1: Low Sleep Pressure + REM Cycles

Between 3–5 a.m., your baby’s sleep pressure (their body’s natural drive to stay asleep) is at its lowest. This makes them more sensitive to small disruptions like slight noise, light, temperature, or a wet diaper.

Additionally, after midnight, babies also enter more REM sleep, a lighter sleep stage. Babies who don’t yet know how to fall asleep independently have a harder time linking their sleep cycles, so often fully wake between these 45–60 minute REM cycles.

 

Reason #2: Sleep Environment (Especially Light)

Babies are incredibly sensitive to even tiny changes in light. A small sliver of sunrise creeping through curtains can signal to your baby’s brain: “It’s morning!” and they start producing more cortisol, which is the hormone that tells us to wake up and feel energetic. This is especially common during spring and summer.

 

Reason #3: Bedtime or Nap Timing Is Off

Daily timing plays a big role in early rising. Early wakes are common when:

·        Naps fall outside the ideal circadian window (too early, or too late)

·        Naps happen in motion (car, stroller, swing) instead of the crib (aka “junk sleep”)

·        Naps are too short (under 1 hour)

·        Bedtime is too late, pushing baby into an overtired state

Misaligned daytime sleep often leads to fragmented, early-morning sleep.

 

Reason #4: Overtiredness

Overtired babies wake up earlier, even though this feels completely backwards.
When babies stay awake too long or miss restorative naps, their bodies release cortisol; a hormone that helps us stay alert and energized, but also acts as a stress hormone.

When cortisol rises too high, it becomes harder for babies to fall asleep and stay asleep, especially in the early-morning hours when sleep is naturally lighter.

This is why you’ll often hear the phrase “more sleep leads to more sleep.”
Well-timed quality naps and an age-appropriate bedtime keep cortisol levels low, making it easier for your baby to settle into deeper, longer stretches of sleep.

 

Reason #5: Habitual Waking

Early wakings often start for completely normal reasons, like illness, travel, developmental leaps, or temporary changes in your daily routine. These disruptions happen to every family and are totally normal.

However, early rising can become habitual when the 4 a.m. wake-up is unintentionally reinforced. Responses like feeding, turning on lights, starting the day early, offering extra snuggles, or playing can create a learned sleep association.

In other words, your baby begins to understand:
“This is what happens at 4 a.m., and this is what I need in order to go back to sleep.”

Babies repeat what’s reinforced, so even well-intentioned comforting can quickly turn an occasional early waking into a predictable pattern you didn’t mean to create.

 

Reason #6: Developmental Transitions

Some ages naturally come with early rising, and recognizing these transitions can be a really helpful clue in understanding what’s going on.

Common windows include:

  • 3–4 months: sleep cycles mature (hello, 4-month sleep regression)

  • 6–9 months: dropping from 3 to 2 naps + major motor leaps

  • 12–18 months: nap resistance and the big 2-to-1 nap transition

If your baby is in one of these stages, early rising may simply be a sign that their internal sleep rhythms are shifting. This is normal and it usually means your routine or schedule needs a little tweaking to support them through the change.

Give these transitions about two weeks to settle as you make the necessary adjustments. If early rising continues beyond that, chances are one of the other reasons on this list is also playing a role.

 

Your Step-By-Step Plan to Fix 4 A.M. Wakings

Now that you understand why these early wakings happen, you’re already better equipped to put the right solution in place. Below are the exact steps I use with the families I support. Work through them in order and remember, even one small adjustment can make a big difference in helping your baby sleep later.

 

Step 1: Check the Sleep Environment

Make sure your baby’s room supports their ability to consolidate sleep i.e. linking their sleep cycles:

  • Darkness: The room should be pitch black. Blackout curtains, window film, or even good ‘ol trash bags with painter’s tape around window edges can get that room dark. Hey! We will do anything for a few extra hours of sleep, right?

  • White noise: Helps block outdoor sounds (like birds chirping), pets moving about in the house, or early household activity (got a loud coffee maker anyone?).

  • Room temperature: 68–72°F (20–22°C). Many babies wake early if they’re slightly cold. Check the TOG on your sleep sack and adjust accordingly.

  • Safe sleep: Follow AAP guidelines; firm mattress, fitted sheet, no loose blankets or bumpers, always lay baby to sleep on their back.


Shoring up the sleep environment is one of the easiest (and fastest) ways to help your baby (and you) get more sleep in the early morning hours.

 

Step 2: Evaluate Your Baby’s Daytime Schedule

A well-timed day sets up a well-timed night.

Ask yourself:

  • Is your baby getting enough daytime sleep? Meaning naps last longer than 1 hour.

  • Are naps falling within their natural circadian rhythm?

  • Have nap transitions recently occurred?

  • Is bedtime adjusted to match their current sleep needs?

General Nap Timing Guide

4–6 months:

·        3 naps a day

·        Approx. 9:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and a late-afternoon nap around 3:30–4:00 p.m.

6–9 months:

·        3 naps a day beginning to transition to 2

·        Keep the 3rd nap brief as you fade it out (30–45 min)

·        Adjust bedtime earlier if needed

9–12 months:

·        2 naps a day

·        Around 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

12–18 months:

·        Transition to 1 nap a day

·        Mid-day nap around 12:30–1:00 p.m.

I cannot stress this too much — Daytime sleep really matters. When naps are too short, babies can become overtired quickly. Overtired babies almost always wake earlier. That’s because their bodies release extra cortisol (a stress hormone), which makes it harder to link sleep cycles during the light-sleep early-morning hours. 

Step 3: Adjust Bedtime

When babies begin waking early, most parents assume a later bedtime will lead to a later wake-up. But if parents begin pushing bedtime later, it can actually run the risk of the baby becoming overtired. Which makes the early morning rising a bigger issue. Instead, an earlier bedtime often fixes the early rising issue. To know if your baby may need an earlier bedtime, there are a couple signs that are a dead giveaway.

Signs your baby may need an earlier bedtime:

  • Meltdowns/hyperactive behavior near dinnertime

  • Increasing night wakings

  • Very short or inconsistent naps

  • Early morning rising that’s getting earlier

Try moving bedtime earlier by 30–60 minutes to see if that will help solve the problem. Especially if baby got poor naps throughout the day. Give it 3–4 days to see the impact. It takes a little while to make up the sleep debt when there is one.

 

Step 4: Handle the 4 A.M. Wake-Up Consistently

Whatever sleep method you choose is completely up to you, your parenting style, and your sleep goals. The most important thing to keep in mind is choosing a method you can do with consistency. How you respond at 4 a.m. matters.

Do:

  • Keep the room dark and quiet

  • Avoid talking, lights, or stimulation

  • Offer a brief, calm feed if needed (younger babies)

  • Try to extend sleep in the crib, even 10–15 minutes is progress by implementing your chosen method. +

Avoid:

  • Starting the day

  • Turning on lights

  • Big feeds (unless needed)

  • Stimulation (lots of cuddles or playtime)

  • Bringing baby into your bed as a default

If your baby is older, healthy, and no longer needs night feeds, a consistent sleep-training approach can help baby re-learn independent sleep skills to stop the habitual waking. Choose a method that aligns with your parenting style. Remember whatever method you choose, consistency matters more than the specific method.

 

Step 5: Be Patient; Early Wakings Improve Gradually

Once you adjust the sleep environment, naps, and bedtime, most families see improvements:

  • 3–7 days for mild sleep disruptions

  • 1–2 weeks for bigger schedule issues or developmental shifts

The biggest pitfall I see?
Parents give up after a couple of days, believing that what they are doing isn’t working. This sleep challenge is very common, and it’s also a stubborn one to change. So it will take a little time for baby to adjust. Set your expectations accordingly and know that consistency is the key to progress.

 

When to Seek Professional Support

Consider reaching out for help if:

  • Early wakings persist past 2–3 weeks. This likely indicates the behavior is more than a developmental transition and has moved into habit territory.

  • Your baby seems chronically overtired: They fight naps and bedtime, are emotionally dysregulated, they “crash” when they do finally go to sleep.

  • You’re unsure how to create a nap schedule that fits your baby

  • You’re literally too exhausted and overwhelmed to even read a blog post like this; aka you’re too tired to think. Sleep deprivation is real, and it makes reading comprehension nearly impossible.

  • You want step-by-step guidance from a trained professional to help you make small adjustments daily so that you see progress quicker rather than trying to DIY and figure it out on your own.

As a certified pediatric sleep consultant, I work with families to uncover why early rising is happening and create a personalized sleep plan that fits your parenting style and goals. You’ll have daily support every step of the way so you never feel like you’re navigating sleep alone.

You Don’t Have to Start Your Day at 4 A.M. Forever

Early morning wakings feel especially hard because they hit at the moment, you’re most depleted. But with the right adjustments, your baby can sleep later and you can reclaim your mornings.

If you’re ready for personalized support, I’d love to help you create a tailored plan for your little one.

Kerry Krause