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Hi Vivian,
I hope you had a great Easter too!
The reason your little one might appear hyperactive just before bedtime is due to something called the “wake maintenance zone”. This is a period in the evening when your baby naturally feels more awake and energetic. This happens a few hours before their normal bedtime and can result in them seeming unusually alert or hyper, even if they’ve been up for a long stretch and should theoretically be tired.
This natural peak in alertness is the body’s way of saying it’s not quite ready to sleep yet, despite any signs of overtiredness they may have shown earlier.
Understanding this can help you adjust your approach to bedtime. Instead of fighting this burst of energy, you can use it as a cue to start winding down with quieter, more soothing activities that signal to your baby that bedtime is coming.
For the next few nights, I recommend you write down the time your little one falls asleep at bedtime and see if there is a pattern. As your little one is getting older you may notice that the length of time he can stay awake for will need to increase before bedtime to ensure he is tired enough to fall asleep.
I hope that helps!
Emma