The One Sleepy Sign That Changes Everything

That wild burst of energy at 7PM? It’s not defiance—it’s a sign your child is overtired. And missing that window could be the reason bedtime feels like a nightly battle, especially now that back-to-school routines are kicking in.

Today, I’m sharing the most overlooked sleepy cue I see with toddlers, and how spotting it can totally shift your evenings. So if bedtime feels more like a standoff than a wind-down, stick around. This one small shift might change everything.

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>>Watch this blog on my Awesome Little Sleepers YouTube channel! 👇

How to sleep train a toddler: watch for this sneaky sign of sleepiness

We’re often taught to look for yawns, eye rubbing, or quiet snuggles as signs our kids are ready for bed. And that might work for babies. 

But with older toddlers, the signs can look completely different. In fact, one of the biggest indicators they’re overtired is… hyperactivity. 

That wild energy burst? The giggles, the zooming around, the sudden chaos? It’s not extra playfulness. It’s their body fighting sleep. When toddlers miss their ideal sleep window (even by 15 to 20 minutes), their brain releases stress hormones to keep them going. It’s a second wind, not a second chance to play.

Once your child enters that overtired, cortisol-hyped state a few things happen that we would rather avoid:

🛑 They’ll have a harder time falling asleep 

🛑 They’re more likely to wake during the night 

🛑 They may wake up earlier than you’d like (yep, it’s all connected back to bedtime!)

This is what I call the "wired but tired" trap. And it catches so many well-meaning moms off guard.

Why it’s so easy to fall into the ‘wired but tired’ trap

Here’s the tricky part: an overtired toddler can look like a happy, energetic one—at first. 

They’re giggling, bouncing off the furniture, zipping toy cars across the kitchen like they just chugged an espresso. So naturally, you think, “Cool! They’ve still got energy, we’ll just play a little longer.” But that buzz doesn’t last. It turns into crankiness, clinginess, and full-on bedtime resistance. 

By the time you start winding down, you’re already working against a cortisol-fueled second wind. Cue the hour-long toddler bedtime routine, meltdowns at every turn, and yep—you falling asleep next to them. Again. Sound familiar?

Toddler bedtime routine chaos? These 3 clues may help

Let’s break it down in a way that really connects with what you might be seeing at home:

Here are three signs your child’s wild energy isn’t playfulness, it’s overtiredness in disguise:

1. A sudden energy spike after dinner. If they were mellow one minute and zooming like they’re fueled by a whole bag of Skittles the next, that’s likely a cortisol rush, not a second wind.

   
   

2. Silly turns cranky, fast. Those giggle fits that spiral into tears over the “wrong” bedtime book? That’s not defiance. It’s an exhausted brain losing steam.

   
   

3. Struggling to settle down—even with your usual routine. If your go-to wind-down isn’t working and they’re flopping around like a fish out of water, they’re probably too wired to relax. It’s not the routine. It’s the timing.

   
   

Recognizing these signs can give you a whole new perspective on how to approach bedtime.

So what can you do?

The surprisingly simple hack to get your evenings back

Here’s the good news: just a small shift in timing can make a big difference. Try starting your toddler’s bedtime routine 15 to 30 minutes earlier. 

I know—it sounds almost too simple. But when that burst of hyper energy hits tonight, take note of the time and aim for an earlier start tomorrow. Now’s the perfect time to try this, especially with the school year right around the corner.

If they seem too awake earlier, that’s the trick—overtired kids don’t look sleepy. But trust their behavior over the clock. A calm toddler is much easier to settle than one doing laps around the living room.