
That sudden burst of silliness, hyperactivity, wandering or “zoomies” many toddlers show before bedtime is often called a second wind or the Wake Maintenance Zone. It’s a natural window in the early evening when a child’s body temporarily stays alert, even if they’re tired. This usually happens before melatonin starts to rise. If a toddler stays awake too long, the body may release stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These can override sleepiness for a while, making them seem more energetic instead of sleepy. This is why overtired toddlers may: • Act silly or wild • Run around aimlessly • Seem wired instead of calm • Resist bedtime • Look emotionally reactive It doesn’t mean they aren’t tired — it just means their body is struggling to switch into sleep mode. Sharing this purely for awareness, in case it helps someone understand bedtime behaviour a little better 🤍 Bedtime feels hard sometimes — you’re not alone Comment if you’ve seen this with your toddler #gentleparenting #parentingtips #toddlermomlife #bedtimeroutine #parentingawareness
This post was published on 24th January, 2026 by Megha on her Instagram handle "@baby_vayu_garg (Vidyut Garg)". Megha has total 882 followers on Instagram and has a total of 246 post.This post has received 104 Likes which are lower than the average likes that Megha gets. Megha receives an average engagement rate of 30.88% per post on Instagram. This post has received 2 comments which are lower than the average comments that Megha gets. Overall the engagement rate for this post was lower than the average for the profile. #gentleparenting #toddlermomlife #parentingawareness #bedtimeroutine #parentingtips has been used frequently in this Post.