![]() Therefore, uninterrupted REM sleep has many benefits. ![]() It has even been linked to increased blood flow to the brain, learning and height. While the transition between sleep phases can lead to a harrowing night, this light REM sleep is essential for physiological development, physical well-being and safety. Zen Swaddle®: Helping your baby sleep better and Within days of using the Zen Swaddle she went from waking up every 2-3 hours to sleeping 6-8 at night. I ordered it for my 2 month old daughter after trying traditional swaddles and sleep sacks and not being all that satisfied. The Zen Swaddle blanket, that mimics your reassuring touch, will definitely help your baby go from one light sleep phase to the next without completely waking up. Of course, if all is well and your baby is comfortable, he or she might fall asleep again within a few minutes.Ī reassuring hand or your presence can always help them through this vulnerable period without waking. With more time spent in lighter sleep, there's more of a chance that baby's going to wake up." - Rachel Turner, Certified Sleep ConsultantĪs you can imagine, your baby’s sleep is most vulnerable when he or she is in light sleep.Īny number of things can cause them to awaken, including hunger, a wet diaper, changes in temperature, an unfamiliar sound, or his or her own startle reflex or moro reflex. Although REM sleep is light, it's not as light as these 2 new non-REM sleep stages that they're getting used to. “When this change takes place, our little one moves from 50% REM sleep to 25% in order to make room for those first two stages. Around 4 months old, your baby will start cycling through all 4 stages of sleep, instead of just two. This is because she jumps right into that deep sleep stage. These are also known as active sleep and quiet sleep - this is because your baby may be more physically active during the former, and more still during the latter.Īs a newborn, you were most likely able to rock or nurse your baby to sleep, and then put her down without her waking. Our newborn sleep cycle chart shows that newborns (babies 0-3 months old), only experience two of the four stages of sleep: stage 3 and stage 4, or REM, and spend about half of their time asleep in each stage. So, how does your baby's sleep cycle work? Newborns and adults have very different sleep cycles. Baby's sleep cycle: how your baby's sleep differs from yours Though these times can vary due to factors like sleep disorders, this baby sleep chart below shows how your baby cycles through the stages of sleep much quicker than adults. This skill is learned, and until your baby can fall back to sleep independently, they won't be able to sleep through the night. Infants, however, will wake up during that shift and probably need your help to get back to sleep. Think about how you’ll barely wake in the middle of the night and shift positions or open your eyes for a split second before falling asleep again. The other difference between our cycles and baby's is that when we're shifting from one cycle to the next we might wake up, but we almost immediately fall back to sleep (unless affected by sleep disorders). When adults complete a sleep cycle and shift to the next cycle, we might briefly wake up or come close to waking up. Therefore, much of his or her sleep is comprised of light sleep, often accounting for more than half of their recommended 13-18 hours of shuteye. For you, deep sleep can persist up to 90 minutes at a time.įor your baby, it may not last an hour. Though you both cycle between periods of deep sleep and shorter stints of light REM cycle sleep, your baby does so many more times throughout the night. ![]() Your baby will first enter a lengthy period of light sleep from which it is easy for him or her to awaken. It's also the stage of sleep where we do most of our dreaming.Īs you can see below, your own sleep looks much different from the newborn sleep cycle. You might be fast asleep from the moment your head hits the pillow, while it takes infants longer to drift into a deep sleep than it does for you. This is where the brain starts to kick in and consolidates information and memories from the day before.
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