How Baby Sleep Cycles Develop

While your baby will go through so much development in the first few years of their life, the journey their sleep architecture follows from the day they're born into toddlerhood and beyond is wild. Understanding the path can help you to better prepare for their sleep changes. Along the way, there may be some detours, wrong turns, and pit stops for snacks, but with enough patience and energy drinks you can make it to your destination...sleeeep!

newborns

When a baby is born, their sleep patterns are vastly different from those of adults. Newborns spend the majority of their time in a state of non-REM sleep (also called "quiet" sleep because they are so still!), which is characterized by deep, restorative sleep. This is because their brain is still developing and they need to conserve energy for growth and development.

The other portion of a newborns sleep is in “active” sleep, or REM sleep. This is characterised by lighter sleep where they might move, open their eyes, make noises and rub their faces. This is when the brain consolidates new information and memories.

infants

As infants, babies begin to spend more time in REM sleep. At this stage, babies are also beginning to develop the ability to sleep for longer stretches of time.

From around 3 months, each baby's sleep patterns begin to resemble those of an adult. Their non-REM sleep will start to expand from 1 to 3 distinct stages, where they'll spend about 70% of their sleep. EEGs have also revealed the development of sleep spindles and K-complexes by 6 months of age.

children

As children grow, their sleep patterns continue to mature. They begin to spend more time in deep non-REM sleep, which is critical for physical growth and development. Children also develop the ability to consolidate sleep consistently, which is essential for cognitive development.

adults

By the time your baby reaches adulthood, their sleep architecture is fully developed. Adults have a well-established circadian rhythm and are able to sleep for longer stretches of time. They also spend more time (around 75-80% of sleep) in the deeper stages of non-REM sleep, which is essential for physical and cognitive restoration.

It is important to note that there are many factors that can influence how your little one's sleep develops. During this process, bursts of sleep development can disrupt sleep (ironically), but there are always ways that you can promote and support sleep. If you need some hand-holding to get your family on the path to better sleep, book your consultation with Snug Co for a curated and evidence-based approach.