Sleep specialists say that newborns do not have a set pattern that they sleep in. Babies sleep for more than 18 hours in a day, while adults as they age their sleep duration starts decreasing.
Trying to understand the sleep patterns of babies can help new parents to adjust their sleep schedule as well. Some babies sleep all day and wake up during the night and some vice versa.
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How are babies’ sleep patterns different from adults?
Adults have a set sleep cycle which includes several stages – Light sleep, Deep sleep (Non-Rapid Eye Movement – NREM), and REM (Rapid eye movement stage) sleep.
Children develop these sleep stages as they grow. “By two to three months, circadian rhythm starts getting established, babies start responding to environmental cues such as light, dark, warmth, etc.,” says Dr Srikanta J T, consultant paediatric interventional pulmonology, Aster RV Hospital, Bengaluru.
The longest stretch of sleep during infancy is about three to four hours and by the time the baby turns four to five months, they can sleep for up to six hours at a stretch at night, he added.
Babies initially have two phases of sleep, says Dr Rajaram G., consultant general paediatrics, Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Marathahalli, Bengaluru. He explains, “They are medically classified as active sleep phase and quiet sleep phase. In the active sleep phase, kids make noises, move their limbs, and easily wake up.”
In the quiet sleep phase, kids are in deep sleep, show limited to no movement and find it difficult to wake up.
Sleep patterns in newborns
Dr Rajaram explains the change in sleep patterns in newborns.
♦ 0 – 3 months: Newborns do not differentiate between day and night. They do not have a set sleep pattern and tend to sleep for 17- 18 hours on average per day.
♦ 3 – 6 months: Between the three-to-six-month period, they start to develop the NREM and REM phases of sleep. They sleep less during the daytime and take 3 – 4 naps during the day, sleeping for longer hours during the night. On average they sleep for 14 hours to 15 hours per day during these months.
♦ 6 – 12 months: By this age, REM and NREM are gradually established, and their average sleep duration reduces to about 13 hours – 14 hours per day. At 9 months old, most children sleep less during the daytime and can sleep for 9-10 hours at a stretch at night.
♦ 12 – 24 months: Toddlers spend about 10-12 hours a day sleeping. Daytime naps reduce to 1 or 2 and they sleep for 9 – 10 hours at a stretch.
Should you feed your baby in the middle of night?
After nine months, babies do not require feeding in the middle of the night, says Dr Rajaram. He said, “Parents feed their kids every time they wake up in the middle of the night thinking they are hungry. This habit should be stopped after nine months.”
He says this habitual practice by parents could lead to sleep disturbances in the baby and interrupt their sleep cycles.
Tips for parents to ensure newborns sleep well
- Train the babies to sleep for longer hours at night after six months.
- Avoid the habit of using gadgets for toddlers and make sure they go to bed by 8:00-8:30 pm, no later than nine.
- If the baby is breastfeeding, mothers are advised not to drink coffee or drinks heavy with caffeine as it can affect baby’s sleep as well.
- Put the child to sleep when they are drowsy and not full asleep, this will allow the child to acquaint themselves with the sleep environment, says Dr Srikanta J T.
- Child should develop a soothing effect around his sleep area. Avoid play time or punishment in the child’s crib or bed.
- Provide transition objects such as a blanket by which the child will self-soothe when awake as it can affect the baby’s sleep as well.
Parents should follow sleep hygiene as well.
Takeaways
- Newborns are not born with sleep patterns. They develop circadian rhythm gradually.
- They tend to spend most of the time sleeping up to 17 to 18 hours initially, this reduces to 10-12 hours as they turn one to two years old.
- Parents have to be careful about the babies’ sleep habits and not feed them in the middle of night after they turn nine months old.
