How to Handle Those Painful 5AM Wakeups

You know what’s the worst? Thinking you’ve got another solid hour or two of sleep ahead of you... and then your baby pops awake at 5AM like it's party time.

Brutal.

If this is your reality right now, let’s talk through what might be going on—and what you can actually do about it.

First: What is an early morning wake-up?

Any wake-up before 6AM falls into the early wake-up zone. If your goal is a 7AM start to the day, you’ve got some wiggle room to help stretch your baby’s sleep a bit later. But I’ll be real with you: If they’re waking up in the 6 o’clock hour and seem rested, that can be completely normal. Some babies are just naturally early risers—and that’s okay!

That said, if we’re talking about a consistent 4:30–5:30AM start time? That’s something we can work on.

1. Let’s talk about light.

This is one of the biggest culprits for early morning wake-ups—especially in the summer when the sun rises earlier.

Your baby’s sleep drive is the weakest in those early morning hours, so if there’s even a sliver of light coming through, it can cue their brain that it’s time to get up.

Your fix:Go all-in on blackout shades. I’m talking cave-level dark. You shouldn’t be able to see your hand in front of your face.

2. Check the last wake window.

Is your baby staying up too long before bedtime? A long final wake window can lead to overtiredness, which makes early morning wakeups more likely—not less.

Try this:If you suspect overtiredness, experiment by shortening that last wake window by about 15 minutes and see if it helps.

3. Balance that daytime sleep.

Too little daytime sleep = overtired baby. Too much daytime sleep = undertired baby.

Both can lead to early rising.

Take a look at your baby’s naps. If they’ve had a day of short naps or skipped a nap altogether, you may need to move bedtime earlier (as early as 6:00–6:30PM) to prevent overtiredness.

On the flip side, if they’re sleeping a ton during the day, they might just not be tired enough to stretch through the morning.

Your goal: Stay within the recommended daytime sleep totals for your baby’s age.

4. How are they falling asleep at bedtime?

This one’s big.

If your baby needs rocking, nursing, bouncing, or a pacifier to fall asleep at bedtime, they might be waking in those early hours and needing the same exact thing to fall back asleep.

The solution? Focus on building independent sleep skills. When your baby can fall asleep on their own at bedtime, they’re more likely to resettle on their own at 5:15AM too.

5. What’s your response to the early wake-up?

This might be the most overlooked piece.

If your baby wakes at 5:30AM and you’re consistently going in, picking them up, and starting the day... their body clock will lock in that time as “morning.”

Try this instead: Treat any wake-up before 6AM like it’s the middle of the night. Keep the room dark, sound machine on, and avoid engaging. If they’re calm, leave them. If they’re upset, give them a few minutes to resettle before responding. Consistency here makes a difference!

I know early morning wakeups can make you feel like a zombie. But with a few adjustments, you absolutely can shift that schedule closer to your ideal.

And if you’ve tried all of the above and you’re still seeing those painful early starts? It might be time to implement sleep training or dig deeper with personalized support.

📩 My DMs are always open, or apply to work with me here.

Your Sleep BFF,

Melanie