The Benefit of Outdoor Naps in Winter
This is a guest post from Amy - Little Bunnies sleep consultant. You can connect with Amy via her website Little Bunnies as well as on instagram and facebook
There is a reason why babies in Scandinavia often sleep outdoors in their prams. Being outdoors is hugely beneficial for us and for our babies, and that can include napping in the fresh air too.
Getting out into the fresh air each day can bring benefits including:
- Immune system protection
- Nervous system regulation and a calming effect
- Daylight exposure supporting melatonin production and circadian rhythm regulation
- Cognitive development from new sights, sounds and smells
Arguably some of these benefits are even more important in the winter months. Who doesn’t want to do everything that they can to avoid those winter colds? But there are other benefits to napping outdoors in the colder weather too. For our bodies to sleep well, we actually slightly drop our core body temperatures, and therefore sleeping in slightly cooler conditions can be beneficial in promoting longer and deeper periods of sleep. As long as your baby is dressed appropriately for the weather conditions, a daily nap in their pram during a winter stroll can be a great way to promote good sleep across their day.
I tend to find that from around 2 or 3 months old, babies become more sensitive to napping in the daylight. Not all babies, some will happily nap in bright sunshine all their lives! But many babies will start to find it more tricky to sleep in the sunlight or to switch off and fall asleep when there are lots of things to look at on their walk. Luckily SnoozeShade have a brilliant solution for this, allowing your baby to get all the benefits of a nap in the fresh air, while reducing the light and the external visual stimulation during their nap. I often recommend SnoozeShade to families that I support with sleep and it’s always in the bottom of my own pram too, ready to be fitted at any time for a speedy nap transition.
Are you worried that your baby won’t nap well in the pram? Here are my top tips to ace your winter pram naps:
• Time your naps well. A baby who is already tired and grumpy is going to find it harder to fall asleep. Aim to have them in their pram about 10 minutes before they usually start to get tired. That way they have ten minutes to settle into the walk, look around, enjoy the scenery and begin to relax.
• At the point where you think they’re ready for some sleep, pop on your SnoozeShade to reduce the light and distraction. Keep your pram moving and consider using a portable white noise machine (or an app on your phone) to reduce external noises while they sleep.
• Enjoy the benefits of a walk for yourself. Not only does gentle exercise help to release endorphins, but you’re also getting all those melatonin, vitamin D and nervous system benefits. Take a depth breath and have a bit of time to yourself while your baby sleeps.
• Finally, babies who aren’t used to pram naps might find them tricky to start with. The key is to make pram nap practise a regular part of your day. Try to build in a pram nap at least every other day during the week. To start with, make it a nap where you think they’ll fall asleep more easily (often morning naps are best for learning a new skill), get your timing right and then take the pressure off. Go for a walk anyway. If they nap then great, well done! If they don’t then it’s not the end of the world. Get a nap in another way and give it another go tomorrow. The skill will come with practice and timing.
Enjoy those winter walks!
