Sleeping like a baby. What does this mean?

By Majida MEHANA

We go through different stages of sleep depending on the activity level of the brain. The total cycle is between 92 and 110 minutes. Then the cycle repeats itself throughout the night.

Infants go through a shorter cycle of approximately 50 minutes (National Science Foundation [NSF], 2020). Those stages of sleep include two main states, the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) irregular state and the Non-REM state (regular full sleep with closed eyelids). The duration of REM sleep is longer for newborns (50% of sleep time) and decreases to 20% by age 2. The brain activity in the REM state is similar to the waking state.

In terms of hours, newborns sleep anywhere between 10.5 and 18 hours. The sleep is irregular and can happen at different times during day or night times. The number of hours decreases to approximately 12 hours by the end of the first year (Garvis et al., 2019).

The long duration of the REM state activates the infant’s central nervous system and consolidates learning. It is also the state where we dream (NSF, 2020).

Learning occurs in other Non-REM stages as well. One study showed that babies who were shown new learning prior to a short nap (went into Stage 2, which is a light stage of sleep) were able to remember the learning better than the babies who did not take the nap (Horváth et al., 2018).

As sleep consolidates different learning in different stages, it is important to allow babies enough time to sleep through the full cycle, so they go through REM and non-REM sleep. If they need to be woken up, then it should be done gently. The REM sleep is the state that prompts waking.

Parents should note the baby’s sleep pattern and reinforce a transition to nighttime sleep by providing a quieter environment in the evening. Habits of sleep change throughout life; however, helping infants establish a regular sleep system early will give their body the time needed to recuperate and to be healthy.

Reference:

Garvis, S., Phillipson, S., Clarke, S., Harrison, L., McCormack, J., & Pendergast, D. (2019). Child development and learning. Oxford University Press.

Horváth, K., Hannon, B., Ujma, P. P., Gombos, F., & Plunkett, K. (2018). Memory in 3‐month‐old infants benefits from a short nap. Developmental Science, 21(3), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12587

National Sleep Foundation. (2020, August). Children and sleep. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/children-and-sleep

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