sleep cues
Bedtime routine triggers
Sleep cues are signals that a baby or young child is tired and ready for sleep—yawning, eye rubbing, fussiness, or staring off.
Parents learn to recognize these cues to time naps and bedtime: Watch for sleep cues so you don't miss the window.
The term also covers environmental signals that prompt sleepiness, like dimmed lights or white noise.
- yawningOpening mouth when tired
- rubbing eyesPressing lids with fingers
- drowsyNearly falling asleep
- fussyExcessively particular
- heavy eyelidsTired, half-closed eyes
zoning out · dim lights · swaddle · lullaby · pacifier · rocking · white noise · bedtime · overtired · nap · drowsiness · eye rubbing · glazed over · cranky · settling · drowsy but awake · ready for bed · soothing
sleep cuesstimulation
Evoking a response
overstimulation · caffeine · bright light · loud noises · screen time
sleep, cue, sleeps, slept, sleeping, sleeper, sleepers, sleepless, sleepy