Key facts:

  • Sleep cycles are a fundamental part of a baby’s development essential for restoring their physical and emotional needs, as well as maintaining a healthy, strong immunity and supporting learning and memory.
  • Newborns, infants and toddlers sleep far more than adults, broken up into many smaller blocks of time.
  • Newborns, infants and toddlers spend more time in REM sleep than adults.
  • Establishing healthy sleep habits for infants can be challenging, but it is crucial for their well-being and development.

Sleep cycles are an essential aspect of a baby’s development and can significantly impact the well-being of both the baby and their parents. Babies and infants have a different sleep requirement to adults and as many parents have most likely experienced, when their child doesn’t get enough sleep, they can be cranky and irritable but don’t despair, there are many ways you can establish a good, healthy sleep pattern with your baby.

Why sleep is so important

Everyone knows how much of a struggle it can be when you haven’t had enough sleep and for our little ones those feelings are often intensified. As they are growing so rapidly, sleep is essential for restoring their physical and emotional needs as well as maintaining a healthy, strong immunity and supporting their learning and memory.

How much sleep does your little one need?

Our sleep needs change with age until we are about 20 years old when it levels out to a more regular pattern. Everyone is different however and even newborn babies will vary with how much they need according to their own bodies and development. The average newborn will sleep around 14- 17 hours a day but this can realistically fluctuate from 11- 13 hours or even 18- 19 hours of sleep. Outside of these perimeters is not recommended and if you find your baby in this range then consult your health care professional for advice.

Infants (4- 11 months old) sleep around 12- 15 hours on average but 10- 11 hours and 16- 18 hours is considered normal too. Toddlers (1- 2 years) have similar requirements sleeping on average 11- 14 hours with 9- 10 hours and 15- 16 hours also normal. Again, if your little one is out of this range then consult your trusted health care professional.

What are infant sleep cycles?

Infants spend significant time sleeping, however, unlike adults, infants do not experience the same type of sleep cycle. Instead, infants go through cycles of active sleep and quiet sleep, which alternate throughout the day and night.

Active sleep, also known as REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, is characterised by a high level of brain activity, rapid eye movements, and muscle twitching. During this phase, infants may display facial expressions and make noises. Active sleep is vital for brain development, memory consolidation, and learning.

Quiet sleep, also known as non-REM (NREM) sleep, is characterised by decreased brain activity, slower breathing, and little to no movement. Infants spend more time in quiet sleep than adults, and it is during this phase their bodies and brains can rest and recharge.

When a baby is about three months old, they start to sleep more like adults with four distinct sleep stages, with a distinct pattern of brain waves; Stage 1 (NREM 1)- alpha waves and low amplitude mixed- frequency activity; stage 2 (NREM 2)- sleep spindles and K- complexes; stage 3 (NREM 3)- delta waves and finally stage 4 (REM)- alpha and beta waves. When a child reaches five years old, the time they spend in each stage is far closer to an adult.

How infant sleep cycles differ from adult sleep cycles

Sleep requirements between infants and adults are remarkably different. Healthy adults require around 7- 9 hours sleep a night and usually get their sleep in one block of uninterrupted time where newborns require more sleep but broken up into smaller windows of time throughout the day. As they grow, these smaller naps turn into longer sleeps until they establish a more adult like pattern of sleeping through the night.

Adults experience a sleep cycle that consists of four stages of non-REM sleep followed by a period of REM sleep. Each cycle lasts about 90 minutes, and adults typically experience four to six cycles per night. In contrast, infants do not have distinct stages of non-REM sleep, and their sleep cycles are much shorter, typically lasting only 50-60 minutes.

Another difference between infant and adult sleep cycles is the time spent in REM sleep. Adults spend about 20-25% of their sleep time in REM sleep, while infants spend up to 50% of their sleep time in this phase. This difference is likely due to the importance of REM sleep for brain development in infants.

Establishing healthy sleep habits for infants

Establishing healthy sleep habits for infants can be challenging, but it is crucial for their well-being and development. Here are some tips for helping your baby get the sleep they need:

  1. Establish a consistent bedtime routine- it can help signal to your baby that it’s time to sleep. This could include a bath, reading a book, and singing a lullaby.
  2. Create a sleep-friendly environment- ensure your baby’s sleep environment is cool, calm, dark, and quiet. Consider using a white noise machine to help drown out other noises.
  3. Encourage naps during the day- infants need a lot of sleep, so ensure they get enough rest during the day. This can help them sleep better at night.
  4. Be responsive to your baby’s needs- infants may wake up frequently at night, so be prepared to respond to their needs. This could mean feeding them, changing their diaper, or just comforting them.
  5. Avoid over-stimulation before bedtime- avoid activities that may over-stimulate your baby before bedtime, such as playing with toys that make noise or watching TV.

Infant sleep cycles are different from adult sleep cycles and are characterised by alternating periods of active sleep and quiet sleep. Understanding these cycles and establishing healthy sleep habits can help promote better sleep for both the baby and their parents. By creating a consistent bedtime routine, creating a sleep-friendly environment, encouraging naps, being responsive to your baby’s needs, and avoiding over-stimulation before bedtime, parents can help their baby establish healthy sleep habits that will benefit them for years to come.