Why Is Night Sleep So Important for Your Baby?
Babies grow up sleeping! Night time sleep is responsible for your little one’s healthy development by way of stimulating both his or her mental and physical evolution.
Firstly, uninterrupted sleep at night leads to more REM sleep which is critical at a young age. In fact, experts report that mental and physical capacities develop the most in the period up to three years old. REM sleep is exactly when new neurons are formed. Those connect and organise new information learned during the day. Meanwhile, REM sleep is equally responsible for replenishing your baby’s energy levels. This helps your baby function well and learn more optimally during the next day.
Second, melatonin is released mostly at night, in a dark or dim lit sleeping environment. This hormone plays a key role in strengthening your baby’s immune system and pituitary gland. During those deeper sleeping cycles, the latter gland is responsible for the secretion of growth hormones.
Sleep training your baby will help him or her not only fall asleep faster but equally and most importantly to stay as much asleep as possible throughout the night. Consequently, this will maximise the time your baby gets beneficiary deep sleep at nigh.
Nathalie
Yogist & Nutritional Expert
With all that in mind, how can you improve your baby’s sleep quality and duration?
Up to two months old, your baby sleep time tends not to exceed cycles of 2 to 3 hours. It is only after that age that you will begin noticing an improvement in your baby sleeping more at nights and less during day time. This is the perfect time to help your baby distinguish the difference between day and night. For this, keep his or her room as much bright as possible during the day and dark or only dimly lit during the night. Furthermore, spend time with your little one during the day by playing and entertaining him or her. Conversely, avoid being too much present at nights. Finally, do not try to reduce daily sounds such as your phone, TV or white goods during the day. Meanwhile, introduce your 2 months old to a bedtime routine. This will further help him or her self-adapt to a good night sleep. This involves a regular and predefined pre bed time sequencing of events with the effect of both mentally and physically preparing your baby to sleep. The element of predictability in a bedtime routine will make your baby feel more secure and relaxed. You may choose to give your baby a warm bath, story telling, singing lullabies and obviously giving him or her a good night kiss! Watch for signs that your baby is ready to sleep. This may be rubbing his or her eyes or pulling his or her ear. Lay your baby down to bed as soon as you get those signals. Remember to keep the room temperature between 18-22°C for an ideal sleeping environment and level of comfort. Remember to never wrap up your baby excessively.
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As your baby grows, you should further sleep train him or her. This will help your baby get a full ten hours’ night sleep. Follow a predicable and stricter daytime sleeping schedule as your baby reaches four to six months old. A daytime sleeping schedule involves waking up your baby up at the same time each morning and setting strict napping times each day at the same time. Beware to also pick up a consistent bedtime. Avoid putting your baby to sleep beyond 8:30pm. After that time, babies tend to feel overtired and will have troubles falling asleep. Be aware that a baby in sleep depravation will often display signals of being over energetic instead of looking tired…
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