Sleep Cycles and Needs

How long are babies’ sleep cycles?

While babies’ sleep cycles are pretty much consistent until they are 3 years old, their sleep needs change as they grow. Recognising your baby’s sleep cycles will help you accommodate the day accordingly, and find a routine that works for them and for you. In general, a baby’s sleep cycle is around 45 minutes. The first 10 minutes are when your baby drift off to sleep. Then their sleep becomes deeper, and after 20-30 minutes, they enter deep sleep.

Newborns sleep cycles

Newborns sleep most of the day. Some scientific researches suggest that in the 1st 3 months of our lives, we are still fetuses, catching up on lost time in the womb. They call it the 4th trimester. They only seem to be awake for sleep and a nappy change. Meanwhile, older babies have longer wake windows, and they require less sleep. Their wake window gradually extends from 1 hour to 2.5 hours, and they need to stay awake for longer to build enough sleep drive to get a good, restorative sleep.

Babies thrive on routine! It helps regulate their energy and appetite throughout the day, sleep better, and prepare for changes. Knowing what to expect and predict actions in advance reduce their anxiety levels, and allow them to make the most out of their day. They can relax more easily, and transition to sleep faster.

Working with your babies’ sleep cycles

Once working around your baby’s sleep cycles and wake windows your baby will learn to complete their sleep cycles better, and fall asleep in predictable times during the day. This will help you avoid waking them up prematurely and disrupt their sleep, or keep them awake for too long which will impede sleep onset.

We all know how hard it is not to get an adequate amount of sleep…

If your babies struggle to sleep past 6am, download my “5 Reasons for Early Morning Wake-ups” guide to help them sleep better and longer in the morning.

You can book a sleep consultation package or a discovery call today to learn how we can work around your babies’ sleep needs and wake windows and help them sleep better in only a few days!