Just when you think you’ve mastered your baby’s sleep routine, along comes summer with its daylight savings, rising temperatures and social events, and all of a sudden your baby ‘s circadian rhythm is thrown off kilter and you’re back to restless nights and unpredictable naps. Don’t worry, it’s not you! It’s a common issue for parents at this time of year and the reasons behind it are surprisingly simple. We asked baby sleep expert, Jazz Kostov, to explain why babies’ sleep cycles are thrown off at this time of year and what parents can do to get back on track.

Why Summer Can Throw Sleep Routines Off

Summer naturally shifts our daily rhythms – we’re out later enjoying BBQs, visiting family, and making the most of the longer days. While that’s lovely, babies thrive on predictability, so these changes can gradually impact their sleep and lead to delayed settling at bedtime.

The main culprit is light. When the sun is still bright at 7pm (depending on where you live!), babies’ bodies don’t produce melatonin as readily, which is the hormone that helps them wind down for sleep. Combined with the heat and changes to routine, it’s common to see bedtimes become a bit trickier or naps shift around. As much as possible – aim to keep your bedtime routine similar to usual to help your little one wind down for sleep. Investing in good blackout blinds is a game-changer, especially in the warmer months!

How Heat Affects Babies’ Sleep Cycles

Temperature makes a real difference to sleep quality. The ideal room temperature is 18-22°C, but in summer, depending on what air conditioning you have available, often bedrooms sit warmer than that, which can make babies restless and affect how easily they transition between sleep cycles. My go-to tip here is to use a TOG-rated sleeping bag so you can easily dress your baby appropriately for sleep.

Watch for signs like sweaty hair at the neck, flushed cheeks, or restlessness – these tell you your baby might be too warm. This is where the CuboAi smart baby monitor is really handy – it tracks room temperature and humidity in real-time, so you can adjust before sleep becomes disrupted. Such a game-changer in the warmer months! Whenever we are travelling, I pack a 1 tog and 2.5 tog sleeping bag so I can dress our little one comfortably for sleep.

A simple tip: the general rule of thumb is to dress your baby in one layer less than you’re wearing and opt for breathable fabrics like cotton or bamboo where possible.

Related “I Just Needed to Know He Was Okay”: How One Mum’s Fear Led to a Smart Baby Monitor That’s Changing Lives

Why Holidays and Travel Make Things Interesting (But Manageable!)

Summer holidays are such a special time for families, and I always encourage parents to embrace the experience rather than stress about sleep being perfect. Yes, travel brings changes – new environments, exciting activities, time with relatives and friends, but these are wonderful memories in the making!

Babies are remarkably adaptable. While you might notice they take a bit longer to settle in a new space or wake once or twice more than usual, most families find their baby adjusts within a day or two with a good game plan in place. The key is keeping a few familiar anchors in place – your usual bedtime routine, their comfort items, and roughly the same sleep timing or at least the same sequence of events – and being flexible with the rest.

One thing that gives parents huge peace of mind during travel is having the CuboAi baby monitor with them. It’s portable — especially with the CuboAi travel case — so you can set it up in holiday houses or hotel rooms, and features like the covered face detection and rollover alerts mean you can relax knowing your baby is safe, even in an unfamiliar sleep space. Plus, the two-way audio means you can soothe your baby without rushing into the room every time they stir.

I’ve worked with so many families who’ve successfully travelled during the summer by setting realistic expectations. Sleep might not be textbook perfect, but it doesn’t have to derail your trip (I promise!). And the best part? Most babies bounce back to their normal routine within a few days of being home. So, enjoy the beach trips, the family gatherings, and the adventure – your baby’s sleep will recover!

Related: Smart Baby Monitors: How Baby Safety Tech Is Giving Parents Peace of Mind

Practical Tweaks Parents Can Make Right Now

A few simple adjustments can help protect sleep during summer (these are the exact tweaks I’m making with my baby, too!):

Keep the room cool: Use a fan, close curtains during the day, and dress the baby lightly if needed.

Maintain darkness: Blackout blinds help trigger melatonin production even when it’s still light at bedtime.

Stick to bedtime consistency: That little bit of consistency becomes an anchor for babies when everything else feels different. Tools like the CuboAi baby monitor can really help here. The 3-day video playback and crystal-clear 2.5K QHD day and night vision make it easy for parents to see exactly what’s happening in the room and spot emerging patterns, even in low light. CuboAi’s sleep analytics are also incredibly useful because they automatically record sleep events, so parents can review changes in their baby’s sleep cycle and understand whether they’re genuinely struggling to settle or simply taking a bit longer because of heat, light changes, or general overstimulation.

Hydrate: Offer extra feeds during hot days to keep your baby comfortable.

Bring familiar sleep cues when travelling: Their usual sleep sack, white noise machine, or bedtime routine helps create consistency in new spaces. And definitely pack your CuboAi baby monitor (we do!), it sets up in minutes and gives you the same monitoring capabilities you have at home, which is invaluable when you’re in an unfamiliar environment. Then you can get back to enjoying your wine and cheese platter with friends or family whilst your baby sleeps.

The goal isn’t perfection during summer – it’s minimising disruption so you can get back on track easily when life returns to normal.

Jazz Kostov is a Melbourne-based sleep consultant, midwife, nurse, and mum of 2 who has helped thousands of families navigate infant sleep challenges over the past six years. As founder of Let’s Sleep and author of Let’s Sleep The First Year, Jazz offers evidence-based, flexible approaches that honour different parenting styles rather than one-size-fits-all methods.