For new parents, one of the biggest challenges is learning, working with, and improving their new baby’s sleep patterns. Infant sleep cycles, however, are much different than those of adults, so understanding the infant sleep cycle can help you understand and work to improve how your baby sleeps.
What Is a Sleep Cycle?
Everyone who sleeps passes through sleep cycles that consist of several distinct stages. For example, the average adult sleep cycle lasts about 80 to 100 minutes. On average, adults experience four to six cycles each night. During these cycles, adults pass through three different non-rapid eye movement (REM) stages and one REM sleep stage. Various shifts in heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and brain waves mark the different stages of a sleep cycle.
Understanding Infant Sleep Stages
Infant sleep cycles differ significantly from those of adults. During the average infant’s sleep cycle, an infant experiences two sleep stages:
- Quiet (non-REM) Sleep – Even breathing and physical stillness characterize quiet sleep.
- Active (REM) Sleep – Movement, noise-making, and eye opening characterize active sleep.
How Sleep Evolves Over the First 2 Years
The length of an infant’s sleep cycle and the amount of time they spend in active sleep compared to quiet sleep change as they grow and develop during their first years.
- 0 to 3 Months – During the first three months, the average baby’s sleep cycle lasts about 20 to 50 minutes, and infants spend nearly equal time in active and quiet sleep stages. Babies usually wake up every one to three hours and spend between 11 and 19 hours sleeping each day.
- 3 to 6 Months – From three to six months, infants gradually begin spending more time in quiet sleep compared to active sleep, slowly developing a sleep cycle that is more similar to an adult’s. Their sleep cycles also begin growing longer, possibly sleeping through the night and napping a few times per day for up to two hours each nap.
- 6 to 12 Months – At this age, a baby’s sleep patterns become more like an adult’s. They sleep a total of between 10 and 16 hours per day, including 10 to 12 hours through the night.
- 1 to 2 Years – Though many toddlers continue to wake up at night and take a nap during the day, they continue to gradually sleep less during the day and more at night. Toddlers might also begin having nightmares that wake them.
Common Sleep Challenges With Infants
Parents and their babies often face challenges trying to help their infants fall asleep and stay asleep.
- Falling Asleep – Some babies have trouble settling down and falling asleep independently.
- Staying Asleep – Others struggle to stay asleep and wake up frequently.
- Irregular Schedules – Parents can find it challenging to manage their newborns’ disorganized sleep patterns that result in time awake at night and inconsistent nap schedules during the day.
- Sleep Regressions – When babies reach developmental milestones, start teething, experience illnesses, or changes in their routines, they often experience sleep pattern disruptions.
Tips for Supporting Healthy Sleep in Infants
To overcome challenges and help support healthy sleep and development in your baby, consider the following tips:
- Develop a Rhythm – Newborns seem to be in constant flux between sleeping and wakefulness because they wake up to eat every one or two hours. Know that a more manageable, consistent rhythm will come. As your baby’s nervous system develops and matures, their sleep cycles will lengthen, and they will begin sleeping longer and longer at night.
- Feed Before Bed – Minimize hunger-induced nighttime wakings by feeding your baby before bed.
- Create a Bedtime Routine – Set the tone for your baby’s bedtime routine with a calm, quiet environment and a soothing voice at bedtime.
- Don’t Wait for Your Baby to Fall Asleep – Learn to recognize the signs of sleepiness in your baby, and put them in bed before they fall asleep. This will help them learn to self-soothe and fall asleep without being held.
- Allow Time for Your Baby to Calm Down – When you put your baby down, they might cry or fuss. Give them a few minutes to calm themselves before offering verbal reassurance and patting their back. If they still don’t calm down, you can pick them up and try again. This routine helps them learn how to calm themselves and fall asleep.
Pediatric Sleep Support for New Parents and New Babies
If you are facing sleep challenges with your infant or are concerned about their sleep patterns, we encourage you to talk with one of our pediatricians about your experiences and your baby’s routine. We can perform an examination to rule out any underlying causes of your baby’s sleep challenges while providing you with advice, guidance, education, support, and recommendations to promote healthy sleep patterns and development in your baby.
To learn more or request an appointment, we welcome you to contact Children’s Wellness Center today.