Wake Times vs By the Clock: The Great Debate
To start, there is no right or wrong thing when it comes to using wake times or by the clock. You can even use a hybrid sort of by the clock schedule in combination with wake times! What matters most is that you can do something consistently AND it feels good to you/doesn’t cause you MORE anxiety or stress.
I know by the clock seems “easier” because you just set the time and go, but really, when it comes down to it, by the clock really requires you to LET GO more of the control than wake times do. So that’s why by the clock isn’t the answer for everyone/every child/every sleep situation.
In this blog, we will discuss:
What are wake times?
What does by the clock mean?
Pros and cons of using wake times or by the clock
Age considerations when implementing
How to implement a wake window schedule
How to implement a by the clock schedule
FAQs
What are wake times?
Wake times are the windows of time between each sleep. This means your schedule will naturally have some variation as your child may not wake at the same time each day or take the same length of nap each day.
The younger your child is, the lower their awake times (because they get overstimulated and have a low threshold for being tired). As they get older, their wake times grow and they consolidate their naps into less naps a day,
Here’s a blog with more information about wake windows!
What does by the clock mean?
A by the clock schedule is a clock based schedule, meaning they nap at specific times of the day and go to bed at night at a specific time.
Typically using wake times and a consistent out of crib time each day can help you set a by the clock schedule, or even just a hybrid schedule.
If your child is getting up at the same time each day, and their first nap is at the same time each day because of that, you’ll see that you’ve got a halfway by the clock schedule. You could continue setting the next nap by the clock if the first nap is consistent in length, or you could just use wake times for the rest of the day.
What are the pros and cons of using wake times?
Benefits of using wake times:
More control for being over/undertired
Easier nap transitions
Adjusting the schedule may be easier/more obvious
Potential drawbacks of using wake times:
More variable/less predictable schedule overall
If the schedule fluctuates too much, you may find you have more sleep issues
Benefits of using a by the clock (BTC) schedule:
More predictability day to day
May help baby find a good sleep rhythm
Some babies will prefer specific nap times vs being awake for specific lengths of time
Potential drawbacks of using a BTC schedule:
The times may not match their needs (we don’t just choose random nap times!)
It won’t always the same schedule, changing sleep needs = changing schedule
Requires you to let go of sleep control more so than with WTs
Age considerations when implementing WTs or BTC schedules
Typically, the younger they are and are on more naps, it’s easier to use wake times because of the flexibility it allows for. Since younger children are more prone to overtiredness, following wake times will help you prevent that more so than a BTC schedule.
0-6 months or when they’re on 3+ naps tend to do best with WTs!
6+ months or when they’re on 2 (or fewer) naps a day, a BTC schedule is more attainable.
Younger babies are also more prone to short naps and 15 mins can really make a difference here or there in their sleep patterns overall.
How to implement a wake time schedule
This is honestly fairly straight forward and self explanatory!
It’s easier to start with the lower end of awake times for their age, gather some data, and then increase or decrease based on the data you’re seeing. A great blog post that goes over that is the determining sleep needs one!
In general, you’ll find babies will need a 15 min increase every 1-2 months on a wake time schedule.
But– AGE is never a reason to increase wake times. Always wait for signs to do so!
How to implement a BTC schedule
First a disclaimer, there is no right or wrong way to implement a BTC schedule. How you choose to implement it, that works for your child is the right way for you.
Start with a stable out of crib time (and try not to vary it more than 30 mins each day if possible)
Set nap time for their first nap of the day
You can either let them sleep however long they want for this nap, or you can wake them at the same time each day from this nap
For their next nap (and any subsequent naps), it’s either going to start at the same time each day regardless of their previous nap’s length, or have some variance (ie using wake windows).
(remember the goal is conditioning them to sleeping at the same times each day)
To determine bedtime, you’d either end their last nap at the same time each day or or just set the bedtime regardless of that days naps
(you can also set different bedtimes based on the day - bad nap day = X bedtime; okay nap day = X bedtime; great nap day = X bedtime)
We do prefer BTC schedules when one nap is established!
Some FAQs:
Do you wake your child when they’re on a by the clock schedule?
It depends! This is where logging sleep data can be helpful and provide insight. You may have to wake them if you find that it’s leading to skipped naps, trouble falling asleep for the nap or bedtime, having split nights or early wakings. You really have to know what kind of sleeper you have.
While you may think that by the clock schedules will lend itself to perfectionist tendencies, it really requires you to let go and trust their sleep more!
Can they set their own BTC schedule?
Totally possible– you may log sleep and find that they’re basically by the clock already without you having to set anything. These are what we call unicorn/flexible sleepers.
What about daycare?
We find that using set nap times is so helpful for daycare providers! It’s less calculating for them and we actually find that they’re more likely to get close to a nap time vs going way over/under a wake time. In most scenarios, if you don’t have a great daycare napper, we will use wake time or total wake time to determine bedtime.
How do you know if it’s working or not?
This is where gathering data (before making frustrated and emotional decisions) can be helpful. Putting pen to paper lets you see if specific nap times lead to better naps or if they do actually need a specific length of time spent awake before going down. Does a specific amount of day sleep lead to more night wakings? You won’t know unless you can look at the data and follow the trends!
Here are some main takeaways:
Don’t pick random times! Let wake times guide you if you’re using by the clock schedules
The wake time before bed may be most sensitive and may not be set BTC
Set morning wake up time is beneficial regardless of using WTs or BTC
Keep one eye on the clock and one eye on baby; some days are harder than others!
Use WTs during a nap transition - it’s just easier.
If a nap starts to shorten over 5-7 days (less than an hour) add 15 mins of WT, regardless of BTC or WT schedule
Don’t be afraid to let them hang out in their crib in the morning or after a nap
If you have a really crazy day, just use WTs!
If you’re BTC, you’re BTC. Don’t flip back and forth between WTs all the time.
If BTC seems intimidating or you just can’t figure out the right wake times for you kid, join us in Raising Happy Sleepers where you get support from certified sleep consultants daily!
