Why Your Child Keeps Waking Up at Night (And How to Fix It)

An interview with Dr. Phil Boucher, Board-Certified Pediatrician

Dr. Phil Boucher is a board-certified pediatrician and dad who helps families navigate children’s sleep, behavior, and everyday health questions.

Nighttime wake-ups can feel like a serious sleep issue, especially when parents can’t remember the last time they slept straight through the night. But unfortunately for parents, kids waking up at night is completely normal.

“Everybody wakes up throughout the night,” says pediatrician Dr. Phil Boucher. As we move through normal sleep cycles, kids and adults alike may briefly come out of sleep before settling again, often without remembering it the next morning.

The challenge is when those wake-ups become disruptive: Your child is calling for you, climbing into your bed, feeling upset, or struggling to resettle on their own. Over time, those nighttime disruptions can leave the whole household feeling like they’re surviving a zombie apocalypse.

For children ages four and up, here’s what may be behind frequent night waking, along with a few practical, parent-friendly ways to help create a more settled bedtime routine.

Note: This article is for general educational purposes and is not medical advice. If you have concerns about your child’s sleep, speak with their pediatrician.

Some Night Waking Is Normal

A child who briefly wakes, shifts position, and falls back asleep is usually moving through a normal sleep cycle. “Our brain strings it all together,” Dr. Boucher explains.

What tends to draw parents’ attention is when a child wakes up and needs support to get back to sleep. That might look like coming into a parent’s room, wanting to sleep in their bed, or needing a parent to help them settle back to sleep.

For some families, this becomes a pattern simply because parents are too tired to fight it. “When parents are exhausted, when the kids are exhausted, we’re going to follow the path of least resistance all the time,” says Dr. Boucher. There’s zero judgment for choices made at 4 a.m., when parents are barely human, but it can open the door to a long-term sleep pattern that may no longer be working for your family.

Common Kids’ Night Waking Causes

There is rarely one universal answer to why a child won’t stay asleep. Instead, it can help to look at the bigger sleep picture: their routine, room, comfort, and how rested they seem during the day.

They’re uncomfortable

A room that is too warm, too cold, too loud, or too crowded can make it harder for kids to remain settled. Dr. Boucher notes that children generally sleep better in a consistently cool environment than a warm one.

Comfort matters, too. Kids may wake if they find themselves in an awkward position, if blankets have shifted, or if their sleep setup no longer feels supportive. As children grow, their preferences and sleep needs change, so the pillow they inherited from a parent years ago, and put up with, may finally push them over the edge!

Their sleep environment is noisy or overstimulating

Household sounds can interrupt sleep more than we realize. External noise from someone getting ready for bed later, closing doors, opening drawers, pets moving around, or a sibling waking up can all disrupt sleep.

Try a quick room audit. Is there a predictable noise at a certain hour? Are there books, toys, or stuffed animals that fall off the bed overnight? Is the room too bright or warm? Small environmental adjustments can be a useful place to start.

They’re overtired

It may seem backward, but a child who is very tired can have a harder time settling into restorative sleep.

Dr. Boucher describes this as “wired but tired.” This is when kids are running on fumes but seem hyper, emotionally reactive, or unable to wind down. A rushed bedtime, inconsistent schedule, or a late night may lead to a child falling asleep quickly, but not necessarily sleeping as peacefully through the night.

“The first start of the night makes a huge difference when it comes to their overall quality and quantity of sleep,” he says.

In short: Your bedtime routine plays a critical role in ensuring a solid night’s sleep.

Health issues that can disrupt kids’ sleep

It’s easy to go down an internet rabbit hole about night terrors, eczema, or iron levels. While these are not the most common reason kids wake at night, they can sometimes play a role.

“In kids that have eczema, itch can be a cause of them waking up throughout the night,” says Dr. Boucher. He also notes that children who are iron deficient can have “more spontaneous movements throughout the night,” which may wake them.

Night terrors can be distressing, but Dr. Boucher explains they’re not common: “Most kids don’t experience night terrors, but some will, and it will be a reason that they wake up.”

If your child is regularly restless, snores, seems unrefreshed in the morning, experiences night terrors, or has other persistent sleep disruptions, Dr. Boucher advises bringing it up with your child’s pediatrician.

Screens are winding them up when it’s time to wind down

A tablet or show may feel like the easiest way to create some calm before bedtime, but Dr. Boucher recommends intentionally ending screen time at least an hour (and ideally up to 90 minutes) before bed.

Kids need time to transition from a high-energy day into sleep. A gentler sequence of bath, pajamas, teeth brushing, reading, quiet play, and cuddling helps signal that bedtime is coming.

“Children take even more time to wind down than exhausted adults do,” Dr. Boucher says.

The wake-up has become a habit

Sometimes the original reason for waking up is long gone, but the bedtime pattern remains. A child may have had a nightmare, been sick, or needed extra comfort during a transition—and then learned to seek that same reassurance whenever they wake overnight.

That does not mean they are being difficult or manipulative. It simply means the family has developed a pattern that may need a calm reset.

How to Help Your Child Stay Asleep

There is no perfect bedtime routine; it’s the consistency that’s so powerful. Dr. Boucher recommends aiming for a stable bedtime routine five or six nights a week, even when summer, holidays, and special events make schedules less predictable.

Here are a few ways to begin:

Build in more time than you think you need

If you want your child asleep around 8:30 p.m., do not start bedtime at 8:25. Dr. Boucher suggests allowing roughly 30 minutes for the wind-down before getting into bed, plus additional time for actually falling asleep.

A routine might look like:

• 7:30 p.m.: Begin winding down (bath, pajamas, teeth brushing)
• 8:00 p.m.: Read together or do a quiet activity
• 8:10 p.m.: Get tucked in with a familiar comfort item
• 8:30 p.m.: Aim for lights out and sleep

The exact times are less important than making the rhythm predictable.

Make the bedroom feel calm and familiar

Keep the room cool, comfortable, and ready for sleep. A cozy pillow, uniquely designed to support kids and their growing bodies, wrapped in a super-soft pillowcase, can be a simple part of that routine. It creates a familiar cue that helps make bedtime feel cozy and consistent.

DreamJellie’s pillow and JellieSkinz are designed to bring that sense of comfort and personality to a child’s room. Choosing a favorite JellieSkinz, giving their DreamJellie a squish and a cuddle, and getting tucked in can become one small ritual that says: the day is done; it’s time to rest.

Shop the DreamJellie Sleep Set

Keep overnight responses boring and calm

When a child comes into your room overnight, Dr. Boucher recommends keeping the interaction low-key. Avoid lectures, punishments, big negotiations, or lots of attention.

Think “tired robot,” he says. Walk them back to their bed, tuck them in, offer a brief reassurance. Say something like, “Night-night. Back to sleep. I love you.” and then leave.

The goal is not to shame a child for waking up. It is to help them learn, through a consistent response, that their own bed is where sleep happens. (And no matter how many times they come in, they’re getting walked back to their own bed.)

Practice the plan during the day

If night waking is a recurring challenge, do not wait until 2 a.m. to figure out what the response should be.

Dr. Boucher suggests practicing during the day: “Let’s pretend you wake up in the middle of the night. What can you do?” Help your child identify a few simple steps, such as taking a sip of water if needed, rearranging their blanket or stuffed animal, and trying to settle back down.

Like a fire drill, practicing when everyone is calm makes it easier to remember later.

Signs Poor Sleep May Be Affecting Your Child’s Day

Not every tired day means there is a major sleep problem. But it is worth noticing patterns.

Dr. Boucher says children who are not getting restorative sleep may seem unusually tired, have trouble sustaining attention, fall asleep on short car rides, or have a shorter fuse than usual. Some kids may look “wired” rather than sleepy—more reactive, restless, or emotionally on edge.

That is why sleep is worth discussing at regular pediatric visits, especially if nighttime waking has become persistent or stressful for your family.

When to Talk to Your Pediatrician

Reach out to your child’s pediatrician if you notice persistent snoring, observed pauses in breathing, repeated thrashing or restlessness, frequent sleepwalking or sleep talking, or a child who consistently seems unrefreshed in the morning.

It is also appropriate to ask for support when night waking is taking a real toll on your family. You don’t have to wait until the problem feels extreme.

A better night does not require a flawless routine. Start with one or two consistent changes: A calmer wind-down, screens off earlier, a more comfortable sleep space, and a simple plan for overnight wake-ups. Those small rituals can help bedtime feel more predictable—for your child and for you.

A Better Night Starts with a Calming Bedtime

No child will have a perfect night of sleep every night. But a consistent wind-down, a calm and comfortable sleep environment, and a simple plan for handling wake-ups can make bedtime feel more predictable over time.

Start small. Turn screens off earlier. Build in a few quiet minutes before bed. Give your child a sleep space that feels familiar, comfortable, and distinctly theirs.

DreamJellie was made to help make that moment something kids can look forward to: A supportive pillow paired with a favorite JellieSkinz, ready for stories, snuggles, and the transition from a big day to a calmer night.

Shop the DreamJellie Sleep Set and make their bed a place they’re excited to climb into.