Summer is a season of change for children: summer break has arrived, the sun and warmth too, mom and dad aren't working, the days are longer and packed with activities... And while, as an adult, you know how to regulate your need for sleep and go to bed earlier or sleep longer when needed, that's not yet true for your child. When bad nights follow one another—too short, too hot, or too restless—days can quickly descend into chaos. Adjusting your baby's sleep becomes essential. Temperature, atmosphere, and sensory cues: discover all our tips to help them, especially during summer.
CONTENTS:
- Circadian Rhythm: How Baby Perceives Day and Night (and Why It’s So Important for Their Sleep)
- Heat and Sleep: A Duo That's Always Tough to Master
- Baby on Vacation: Managing Naps and Nights Away from Home
- Observe, Understand, Adjust: Instinctive Parenting
Circadian Rhythm: How Baby Perceives Day and Night (and Why It’s So Important for Their Sleep)
At birth, babies do not distinguish between day and night. Their circadian rhythm (from the Latin circa, "around," and dies, "day"), meaning their internal biological clock, is still immature and gradually develops based on its environment (hello, broken nights 👋).
- Baby not yet sleeping through the night? Discover our 10 tips for managing sleep deprivation as a new parent
Between 0 and 3 months, baby's sleep is called ultradian: your child sleeps based on physiological needs, in very short cycles of about 50 to 60 minutes, with no clear distinction between night and day. Around 10 to 12 weeks, a beginning of circadian regulation starts to appear, triggered by natural light and parental routines.
For reassurance (or not 😅), a study conducted on 388 infants aged 6 months, published in Pediatrics in 2018 reported that at that age, 38% of babies do not sleep 6 hours in a row, and 57% do not sleep 8 hours straight. At 1 year, these numbers gradually get better: only 28% still don't sleep 6 hours uninterrupted, and 43% aren’t managing 8-hour stretches yet.
The Role of Light and Melatonin
Melatonin, secreted by the body at nightfall, is literally the "sleep hormone". However, its production doesn't begin until 6 to 8 weeks old, and only at a low rate. Too much light at bedtime—whether sunlight or blue light from screens—can inhibit this fragile secretion, delay falling asleep, and fragment sleep.
This is why, during the summer season, with late sunsets or a bedroom bathed in sunlight early in the morning, baby may:
- have more difficulty falling asleep,
- wake up too early or more frequently,
- show marked signs of fatigue or irritability during the day.
What Research Says
An article published in Science Direct in December 2022 supports the idea that seasonal variations in brightness can actually increase sleep disorders in young children. The researchers refer in particular to "seasonality in the microstructure of young children's sleep."
Heat and Sleep: A Duo That's Always Tough to Master
Sleep in little ones is a delicate mechanism where every parameter counts—including body temperature. To sleep well, the body needs to cool down slightly. That’s why falling asleep is so hard during a heatwave, when the temperature barely drops outside and continues to rise inside the house.But beyond discomfort, an environment that's too hot puts infants—whose temperature regulation system is still immature—at a risk of overheating. That's exactly why your pediatrician recommends a temperature between 64 and 68°F in baby's room.
Additionally—and even more so when that's not possible—adjust how your child is dressed. A light short-sleeved onesie, or just a diaper with a very lightweight cotton sleep sack, may be enough. If in doubt, place your hand on the back of their neck: if it's sweaty or hot, your baby is too warm.
How to Create a Cool and Calm Sleeping Environment?
Walks, beach days, family visits, happy voices around dinner... For little ones, summer brings a kind of sensory overload that needs to be calmed before bedtime.
You can establish a mini wind-down routine at the end of the day: a lukewarm bath, a gentle massage, a cuddle under dim light... anything that soothes the senses promotes calmness. Reducing stimulation bit by bit creates a comforting cocoon that helps trigger sleep.
During the day, pay attention to subtle fatigue signals: turning their gaze away, yawning, loss of interest in playtime, rubbing their eyes with a tiny hand, requesting a pacifier... These are all cues to suggest sleep before excitement takes over.
💧Tip: At baby's usual bedtime, give them a bath—even a quick one—to help them relax and signal that rest time is approaching. And for even more comfort, use Elhée’s 3-in-1 Foaming Cleanser. Soap-free, sulfate-free, synthetic perfume-free, no colorants or hormone disruptors, enriched with organic aloe vera for smooth, clean, and protected skin.
- Close the shutters and/or draw the curtains by late morning.
- Aerate your home thoroughly early in the morning and late in the evening.
- Give your child a lukewarm bath at the end of the day (between 95 and 97°F).
- Dress your baby based on the room temperature (diaper only if above 80°F).
- Slow down after 5pm: dim the lights and minimize stimulation.
- Let your child be exposed to morning daylight (natural light in their bedroom upon waking, bottle outdoors if possible, stroller walk...).
- Dim the lights in their bedroom after midafternoon.
- Avoid intense light sources after 6pm.
- Additionally, even if it’s trickier in summer, establish a set routine—same time, same gestures, same ambiance—to help their body anticipate sleep time.
🍼 Elhée Focus: from 6 months, you can give your baby water to keep them hydrated, in addition to their meals. For this, Elhée developed a 100% medical-grade silicone training cup with a leak-proof system to allow your child to drink without tilting their head. So safe, you can leave it with them all night. For infants, you can split up bottles or feedings, allowing them to drink more often in smaller amounts.
Baby on Vacation: Managing Naps and Nights Away from Home
If you’ve done it before, you know that traveling with children means a family break—and a disruption to their sense of routine. In the car, in a tent, at the grandparents', or at a hotel, sleep becomes more fragile simply because the environment is different.
In this case, your goal is to re-create a comforting cocoon with 2 or 3 familiar sensory cues for baby: a security blanket or favorite toy with their scent, the nightlight from their bedroom, the music you play every evening... These familiar things create a sense of normality and security, even far from home.
Similarly, during travel, try to preserve some regularity with feedings: offer the bottle at regular intervals, anticipate stops, and stay tuned to your baby's needs (heat, fatigue, restlessness…). Conveniently, the Elhée portable bottle warmer lets you prepare a warm bottle in just a few minutes, anytime, anywhere.
And above all, don't worry: whatever your baby's vacation sleep looks like, they'll naturally get back on track once home again. Their internal rhythm will gradually reclaim its familiar pattern, gently.
🎵 Bonus: Have you thought of creating a Spotify playlist just for baby?
😴 Baby’s Summer Sleep Kit
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Observe, Understand, Adjust: Instinctive Parenting
In summer, schedules shift, routines change, and habits fray a little. That's normal. And to avoid missing the best moment to put baby to bed, only one key word: observe.
Especially if the nap is skipped, especially if it takes longer to fall asleep. Don’t feel guilty. You know your baby: just watch and you’ll know. And if you're anxious about your child not sleeping enough, they'll pick up on it and nothing will improve...
Slow down internally, hold your baby skin-to-skin, rock them... These small gestures are often enough to start the return to calm. Touch, voice, and breathing can be powerful cues.
And why not create a holiday ritual—a little emotional capsule? A familiar object, a favorite song, the same lullaby whispered every time... a subtle thread that brings you both back to what matters: the security of your bond, trust, and your child's unique rhythm.
Have a Wonderful Summer with Your Baby—Find Your Own Rhythm!
A baby's sleep is never fixed. It evolves, shifts, sometimes adjusts with the seasons. Summer isn’t a hurdle to get over, but an invitation to slow down, listen, and go with the flow.
By respecting your baby’s rhythm, signals, needs, and their small tired moments, you help them build healthy cues, even far from home. And, by showing yourself the same kindness, you’ll create a summer that reflects your own style: light, flexible, and deeply soothing.
So let yourself go with it. If bedtime is later, if a nap is skipped or a bottle comes at a different time... it's alright. That's life happening, in summer.
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