Know the Reasons Why Your Baby Doesn’t Sleep

Just like drinking water and eating, sleep is also essential for life. The body needs a good night’s sleep for development and to help memorize things learned throughout the day. All this happens because it is during sleep that body and mind rest and energy is, thus, restored. That’s why you feel refreshed the next day when you sleep well. However, before talking about why a baby doesn’t sleep at night or during the day, it’s necessary to first discuss the difference between an adult’s sleep and a child’s, especially when they are very young. It’s a misconception to think that sleep is the same for everyone. Some people sleep more, others less, and some almost not at all — and with babies it’s the same. But the difference with adults is that they are still developing, and therefore, their bodies will react differently. Ahead, we’ll explain better how a baby’s sleep works. As you may have noticed, a baby doesn’t have a set time to sleep or wake up. As mentioned above, they are at a stage of constant development¹. Babies do not distinguish between day or night like adults do. For adults, daytime is for activities and nighttime is for winding down, resting, and finally sleeping. However, babies do not have this notion yet, so it’s important for parents to teach them until they adapt.

IMPORTANT: In the first months of life, babies do not distinguish between day and night; they have no concept yet that a day has 24 hours.

Sleep Stages

When adults sleep, they go through five stages: stages 1, 2, 3, 4, and REM (which stands for Rapid Eye Movement). Stage 1 The first stage of sleep is when sleep is still light, meaning the person can be awakened very easily. Stage 2 In the first stage, eye movements slow down; here in the second stage, movement stops, brain activity decreases, and the body relaxes. Stage 3 After the first two stages, deep sleep begins. At this stage, the person is not easily awoken by any noise because the brain alternates between slow and fast brain waves. Stage 4 Waking someone in this stage is also not easy; it is the second phase of deep sleep. The brain continues to alternate between slow and fast waves, with slow waves predominating in this stage.

REM – Rapid Eye Movement

When people dream, it’s during this stage, at least for most dreams. Here, breathing becomes faster, irregular, and shallow. REM accounts for 20 percent of sleep². Going through all these phases of sleep is essential for having a healthy and energetic life. A good night’s sleep directly affects a person’s day-to-day life; otherwise, a person can easily become irritable. The lack of sleep quality also increases the risk of other diseases and problems with memory. It is very important to sleep well and without interruptions, especially during the two deep sleep phases. Being suddenly awoken from these phases can cause tiredness for the rest of the day. After this brief explanation of the sleep phases, we can now talk about the baby’s sleep. We know that a baby’s sleep is different from an adult’s because the former is still developing. A baby’s sleep has shorter cycles — where they sleep and wake more frequently. In the first months, these cycles last around 50 to 60 minutes, which is why babies sleep for shorter periods.

Baby’s Sleep Cycles

Infants have only two sleep cycles: active sleep and quiet sleep:

Active Sleep

In this phase, babies wake up more easily; their sleep is in the REM stage, and this is the phase they experience in the first three months.

Quiet Sleep

In this sleep phase, brain waves are slow, and the baby is in deep sleep because their breathing is rhythmic and there is hardly any movement, either of the body or the eyes. Because the baby only has two sleep cycles, quiet sleep is, therefore, the last cycle. Babies wake up many times during the night but usually go back to sleep quickly, as it is natural. Both sleep cycles are short, lasting around 100 minutes, but as they grow, the body adapts and develops, and they begin to experience other sleep stages like adults. But beyond this natural way a baby’s sleep functions, other factors can also influence their sleep. A baby never wakes up or cries without a reason. Generally, when a baby wakes and cries it is because they are hungry, have a dirty diaper, or are in pain. Hunger happens because their stomach is still very small and cannot store enough food to last the whole night, which is why they wake up in short intervals.

Main Causes of Baby Not Sleeping

Childhood is a long period of learning, development, and especially adaptation. Babies may, therefore, suffer or respond differently than others during these phases. The number of hours they sleep, as well as the quality of their sleep, can also vary for some reasons. Circadian Rhythms Especially when very little, babies don’t differentiate time — whether it’s day, night, time to eat or sleep. Gradually, they start to adapt to a 24-hour day; generally, this adaptation begins around 3 months, and that is when they start to sleep more at night. Separation Anxiety or Distress Separation anxiety³ is when the child, around 6 months old, already has an awareness and can recognize both objects and people, which makes them miss what they recognize. That’s why babies cry when mom or dad are not nearby or when they are alone, because they miss them, and even if the parents aren’t in their sight, they’re now aware they exist. More Motor and Cognitive Coordination Babies tend to resist sleep more when they learn to sit, crawl, or walk, usually from 5 months on. They get more restless and excited because everything is new, and they think every moment is playtime, or they simply don’t want to sleep and keep “fighting” sleep. Growth Spurts In this phase, the baby develops rapidly, and consequently, their appetite increases too, resulting in more milk consumption. This usually happens in the baby’s first year of life.

Tips to Help Your Baby Sleep

Babies may have no sense of time, especially when very young. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to help them sleep more easily and for longer periods. Below are some tips:

• Try to establish a routine – It’s important to set a routine for your baby to make them understand when it’s time to sleep and when it’s time to be awake. During the day, play with them and do activities that encourage their participation. Another important tip is to include your baby in household activities whenever possible. At night, slow things down for them, and if you can, make the environment darker to help them start noticing when it’s day and when it’s night, thus creating a sleep routine.
• Give your baby a bath – Bathing them before bedtime may help them relax more easily, making it easier when you put them to bed.
• Put your baby to sleep when tired – Don’t try to force your baby to sleep if they are not sleepy, as it may make them even more agitated and harder to settle.
• Give a massage – A great tip is to give your baby a massage right after their bath. This will help them relax more.
• Create bedtime habits – Always do the same things when putting your baby to sleep. For example, read stories, dim the lights, sing lullabies, or rock them in your arms.

How Long Does the Adaptation Take?

A baby’s adaptation to sleep does not happen overnight, especially as, as mentioned, they do not yet have the concept of day or night, and therefore do not use this as a reference at bedtime. This sleep adaptation can take months and will require patience, affection, and care from the parents to succeed. Each baby has their own pace—some sleep more at night, others more during the day—without necessarily following a set order. See Also: Shantala and Baby Sleep