In the sleep world, we hear all about avoiding or breaking sleep associations (also known as sleep props). But did you know that not all sleep associations are something to try and avoid? Let’s discuss what we mean by a sleep association and which ones can help your family get more rest!
What is a Sleep Association?
A sleep association is any condition or conditions that are present when we are falling asleep. These apply to babies as well as children and adults, and you can likely think of some of the things you require when you fall asleep (e.g., darkness, your favorite pillow, a fan running, etc.). Babies are especially creatures of habit, and they learn to associate the conditions that are around them immediately before and during falling asleep with actually being able to fall asleep. What makes sleep associations tricky, especially for little ones is that we also need those same conditions when we wake in the night to be able to fall back asleep. Have you ever woken up because your blanket wasn’t on you anymore, pulled it back on, and then fallen right back asleep? The same thing applies to babies!
This is where we can make the distinction between positive sleep associations and negative sleep associations.
- A positive sleep association just means that no one else’s actions are required to fall asleep or return to sleep. This would include conditions that don’t change throughout the night/nap and things that we can do for ourselves to fall asleep and return to sleep.
- A negative sleep association means that someone else’s actions are needed to fall asleep and back to sleep.
Some positive sleep associations for babies and children include:
- Sleep routines: having a calming naptime and bedtime routine that includes dim lighting, putting on pajamas/sleep sack, having a story and song before lying down
- Creating an ideal sleep environment: having baby sleep on a safe sleep surface, using white noise to filter out sounds that may disrupt sleep, using blackout curtains to create a dark environment that signals sleep, and having a room temperature between 68-72°F (20-22°C)
- Practicing self-soothing skills: giving your little one opportunities to practice falling asleep on their own through sleep shaping (if under 4 months) and sleep training (if 4 months and older)
Some negative sleep associations for babies and children include:
- Motion-based associations: bouncing, rocking, swaying, walking, babywearing, and car or stroller rides
- Suckling-based associations: breast or bottle feeding, using a pacifier that has to be (re)placed
- Contact-based associations: holding, patting, rubbing, holding hands, lying or sleeping with baby
Please note that “negative” doesn’t mean “bad” or that these associations don’t work! These associations are absolutely appropriate and often necessary for newborns (especially in those early weeks!), but these associations may begin to interfere with a family’s sleep in babies 4 months and older if babies need these conditions to fall asleep and return to sleep all of the time.
Some sleep challenges that can arise for babies after the newborn stage when they rely on negative sleep associations include:
- short naps
- never-ending bedtime and naptime routines
- frequent night wakings
- long efforts to get your little one back to sleep
- early morning wakes
Do any of these sound familiar? It could be time to work on removing negative sleep associations and replacing them with positive ones. Our WeeSleep® Dream Team consultants can help you every step of the way to find what works for your family. Book a Free 15-minute Consultation with one of our experienced, certified sleep consultants today.
Prepared by WeeSleep Chief Success Specialist Charlsie Myers, PhD, BCBA; Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant