Did you know these baby sleep facts?

Mar 6

In the world of parenting, there is nothing quite as intriguing as the mystery of baby sleep!

One minute they're peacefully sleeping in your arms, and the next, they're wide-eyed and ready to party at 2 a.m.

Some parents liken the experience to trying to unlock a secret code, and just when you think you've finally solved the riddle, your little one switches things up to keep you on your toes.

Due to the understandable interest in infant sleep, there is no shortage of material available to parents desperately seeking answers. But the accuracy of the information can be questionable and has led to the development of some common misconceptions.

Here we separate fact from fiction to help you understand your little one's sleep.

Newborns don't have a circadian rhythm

The circadian rhythm is a biological process that governs our internal body clock and sleep patterns. It's primarily driven by exposure to light and darkness, with the production of melatonin for sleep as the sun sets and an increase in cortisol as we wake up.

Babies are born without a circadian rhythm, which is why they mix up their days and nights and sleep throughout the 24-hour cycle. Exposing your little one to sunlight first thing in the morning and keeping their sleep environment dark can help establish their natural rhythm, which will kick in at around 3 or 4 months of age.

Babies have shorter sleep cycles than adults

If you ever gaze adoringly at your newborn sleeping, you will notice that within an hour, they may begin to squirm or scrunch up their cute little face. This is because baby sleep cycles (going from light to deep sleep and then back to light sleep) last around 50-60 minutes, whereas an adult cycle lasts an average of 90 minutes.

Babies are vulnerable to waking during the transition from deep to light sleep. However, they will develop the ability to connect their sleep cycles with less disturbance as they grow.

Night wakings are important

Ah, the most asked question by parents worldwide "when will my baby sleep through the night?"

While the exhaustion of night wakings is undoubtedly challenging, they play an important role in your baby's development.

A newborn is entirely dependent on you for survival, and their sleep cycles allow them to wake more readily to communicate their needs, such as:

Hunger
Pain
Discomfort (with the temperature or soiled nappy)

It is also thought that night wakings may protect against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Babies don't sleep as deeply as you do

A newborn's sleep comprises cycles of rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM). The REM stage is often associated with the terms light or active sleep, and NREM is where your little one is in a deeper state of slumber.

Babies spend nearly half their sleep time in the light (REM) stage, whereas REM only constitutes about 20 -25% of an adult's total sleep.

While this increases night wakings, remember that it contributes to your little one's ability to wake more readily when needed, which is vital for their development and well-being.

Newborns have short awake windows

It may not feel like it, but newborns sleep for 14-17 hours over a 24-hour period which means their awake windows are short.

By the time you feed them, change their nappy, and have a moment of tummy time or play—they're tired and ready for the next sleep!

Following your baby's awake windows can help you to prevent overtiredness and learn your little one's developing sleep pattern.

Remember that every child is different, and their awake windows will lengthen as they grow.

Babies have unique temperaments that impact sleep

Your child's temperament is the number one factor when it comes to the approach you take with sleep.

Their unique personality and characteristics impact how much sleep they need, how they respond to sleep, and whether they can sleep independently or not.

Did you know your little one's temperament can help identify their sleep profile? And knowing their sleep profile can help guide your approach to sleep for your baby.

Check out our FREE assessment here to discover your little one's sleep profile.

Sleep training doesn’t mean letting your baby cry it out

One of the biggest misconceptions around baby sleep is that sleep training requires you to let your little one cry it out.

This is NOT true!

The team at My Sweet Sleeper focuses on the foundations of sleep, including environment, routine, nutrition, and schedules. We would never suggest parents ignore their baby's attempts to communicate their needs.

Your little one is unique, and that's why we take the time to understand their temperament and determine their sleep profile, as this guides us in creating the right approach for your baby.

My Sweet Sleeper - How much sleep do new parents need?

My Sweet Sleeper - Five steps to responding to night wake ups.

My Sweet Sleeper - What's the difference between awake windows and sleep routine?

Safe Sleep