Toddler tired all the time...except sleep time!

[Scottishmummy]

DS is 2yr9mo.  He still has a nap but it's gradually become later and shorter.  His day looks like this:

WU: around 7am (I think, might be earlier but he calls out around 7am)
Nap: 2-3pm (but probably only asleep around 45mins of that)
Bedtime: 7.30pm but not asleep until closer to 8pm (I think)

I'm worried that he seems to be lethargic & tired almost all the time, just wanting to snuggle under his duvet, do sitting activities, stay at home & sometimes asking to go back to his cot....but when we get to nap or bedtime he's running around his bedroom, shouting that he's not tired & taking a while to fall asleep. 

I wonder if he might be asking to sleep/playing tired for attention as DD was born a couple of months ago & needs more naps & help to settle..so he's saying he's tired or wants to nap too to get our time.

Or if he's lethargic from boredom as we're more busy with DD and have less 1:1 time with DS & also are in the house more, especially in afternoons due to short daylight hrs & bad weather.  He seems to have a it more energy when we go out but less than a lot of his friends.

Or maybe he's not active enough, so not tiring himself out or sleeping properly? He isn't keen to walk places & many of his activities are indoors.

Or whether it's a nap issues- is day sleep now eating into night sleep leaving him tired? Would he be better to drop nap?

Or maybe it's a medical thing and I should get him checked by GP just to rule it out?

So many possibilities and I'm not sure where to start.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

The lethargy part makes me think a trip to the dr just for a check might be a good idea. Otherwise though I imagine your guess at low activity levels leading to him being less tired is probably a good assumption. It may be time to cut back the nap or soon get rid of it altogether.

[Jodes112]

I agree i would take to the doctors if you are concerned he has no energy.

Dd is 2yr 9m & even when she is really tired she still bounces around the room & musters up some energy from somehwere! If she is lethargic its usually because she is poorly in some way.

[weaver]

He could be having a GS which is making him tired, my LO1 is usually v tired when growing! But yes worth checking with doc if you are worried.  Some fresh air every day is worth trying for.

I think most LOs that age find some bounce around BT.  And don't underestimate the impact of little sister arriving.  It will be worth making an effort to fill his mama/papa cup and see if that helps him recover his spark.

[Buntybear]

Have you tried an earlier BT It could be he is OT by that point and adrenalin kicks in?

Or it could be he is UT and the nap is affecting it!

[Scottishmummy]

Thank you.

My gut feeling (& DH's) is that it's not medical, mainly because, over the weekend, we've noticed that he does perk up if we get him out the house,  although if I try other things and tiredness persists we will go to GP. 

I think I'll try the following for now:

1) Stick with our current routine for now but I might try putting baby monitor in his room for a couple of nights to get a better idea of when he is actually falling asleep & waking up to see how much night sleep he's actually getting.

2) Try to get out every morning at least for some fresh air & physical activity & limit screen time so even if he is inside all afternoon he's playing rather than just sitting watching stuff.

3) Make sure he gets as much quality time from us as possible. DD is turning into an easy going baby so this should get easier.

If 2 & 3 don't work, and/or he's getting much less night sleep than I think he is, we'll look at whether to start cutting out the nap, at least on some days.
 

[weaver]

Sounds like a great plan. I reckon screen time could be a major contributor to lethargy - I know it turns me into a zombie!  Getting out every day is a real sanity saver for all concerned.

[Buntybear]

Agree it sounds like a great plan - more fresh air and less screen sound like a good combo!

[Scottishmummy]

Followed this for a few days and noticed a pattern.

The fresh air, activity etc is working to make sure DS is tired enough to nap & ready for bed at bedtime (no longer running around the room at story time).  But tiredness seems to gradually build up over a few days to point that after a while he wants an earlier longer nap (e.g. 1.30-3pm) but then he is UT at bedtime & OT next day.

We moved BT from 7-7.30 just after he turned 2 due to EW but he was still taking a 2hr nap then.  I know earlier bedtime is needed on no nap days. Is it possible he needs to go back to 7pm bedtime now he's having shorter later nap to avoid OT building up & then the UT-OT loop I think he is getting into?

[Buntybear]

Hi - you could give it a go - if he goes to sleep happily and doesn't EW then it is the right way to go!