Evie Summers
Newborns sleep for 12 to 18 hours a day, but they do not know the difference between day and night and do not have established sleep-wake rhythms. They sleep in short bursts of 20 to 50 minutes, alternating between active sleep and quiet sleep. Active sleep is characterised by movement, crying out, and irregular breathing, while quiet sleep is still and quiet. Newborns spend roughly equal amounts of time in REM and non-REM sleep, experiencing a short REM stage almost immediately after falling asleep. As babies grow, they spend less time in REM sleep and more time in non-REM sleep, which is associated with deeper sleep and cognitive development. To help newborns sleep more deeply, parents can ensure their basic needs are met, such as feeding, burping, and changing diapers. Establishing a bedtime routine and a safe sleep environment are also important for promoting healthy sleep in newborns.
Characteristics of newborn sleep
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Total sleep hours | 12-18 hours in a 24-hour period |
| Daytime sleep hours | 8-9 hours |
| Nighttime sleep hours | 8 hours |
| Sleep cycles | 20-50 minutes long |
| Sleep stages | REM and NREM |
| REM sleep | Up to 9 hours of REM sleep daily |
| NREM sleep | A deeper and calmer state of sleep |
| Sleep position | On their back |
| Sleep associations | Holding the baby, rocking, or breastfeeding |
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What You'll Learn
Newborns sleep up to 18 hours a day
It is important to create positive sleep associations for your newborn. Some settling techniques may be challenging to maintain in the long term, such as holding your baby until they fall asleep. These can create a negative sleep association, resulting in them needing to be held to fall asleep. You need to decide what is right for you and your family.
Understanding infant sleep patterns is key to knowing how to soothe your infant to sleep and encourage a more peaceful sleep rhythm throughout the night. Babies begin experiencing four stages of sleep around three months, but it is not until they are closer to five years old that their sleep architecture, or the time spent in each sleep stage, begins to mirror that of adults.
Newborn sleep stages are rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM). Newborns spend roughly equal amounts of time in REM and NREM sleep. During "quiet sleep," or NREM, the baby is still and does not make these movements. NREM sleep is associated with helping cognitive development, knowledge retention, and learning. It is a much deeper and calmer state of sleep for infants and babies under four months old.
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REM and NREM sleep stages
Newborns sleep for approximately 12 to 18 hours per day, with the longest continuous sleep episode typically lasting 2.5 to 4 hours. Newborns have three different types of sleep: quiet sleep (similar to NREM), active sleep (similar to REM), and indeterminate sleep.
During the quiet sleep stage, the baby is still and does not make any movements. Quiet sleep is also known as NREM sleep, which is further divided into three stages—N1 to N3. The first two NREM stages are lighter sleep stages, during which a person can be easily awakened. The third stage of sleep is the deepest stage, and it is very difficult to wake someone in this stage. The deepest stage of NREM sleep is stage 3, which makes up about 25% of total sleep time in adults. However, babies and children need more stage 3 sleep. During this stage, the body repairs and regrows tissues, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens the immune system.
The active sleep stage is similar to the REM stage, which occurs almost immediately after falling asleep instead of at the end of the cycle, as is the case with adults. REM sleep is the stage of sleep where most dreams occur, and it is characterised by rapid eye movements behind closed eyelids. Newborns spend roughly 50% of their time asleep in REM sleep, which amounts to up to nine hours of REM sleep daily. As babies grow and sleep for fewer hours, the amount of time they spend in the REM stage decreases.
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Sleep cycles and duration
Newborns generally sleep for 12 to 16 hours in a 24-hour period, including 8 to 9 hours during the day and about 8 hours at night. They do not know the difference between day and night and do not have established sleep-wake rhythms. Newborns wake frequently during the night, often because they need to be fed or changed.
Newborn sleep cycles are usually around 20 to 50 minutes long and consist of two stages: active sleep and quiet sleep. During active sleep, newborns may move, groan, open their eyes, cry out, or breathe noisily or irregularly. During quiet sleep, they will lie relatively still and their breathing will be more even.
After 15 to 20 minutes, newborns enter non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, which is a much deeper and calmer state of sleep. NREM sleep is associated with cognitive development, knowledge retention, and learning. It is more difficult to wake a baby during this stage, and they are more easily transferred to a crib.
Newborns spend roughly 50% of their sleep time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is when they experience dreams and their eyes move rapidly. As babies grow and sleep fewer hours, they spend less of their sleep time in the REM stage. By adulthood, people experience REM for roughly 20% of each night's sleep.
Around three months of age, babies begin experiencing four stages of sleep, similar to adults. However, it is not until closer to five years old that children's sleep architecture, or the time spent in each sleep stage, begins to mirror that of adults.
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Establishing sleep patterns
Establishing good sleep patterns for your newborn is important. In their first year, babies sleep 11 to 17 hours a day, but this sleep comes in short bursts of 30 minutes to three hours, with awake periods of two hours in between. Newborns sleep in what are known as sleep cycles, which are usually around 20 to 50 minutes long.
During the first three months, newborns do not know the difference between day and night and do not have established sleep-wake rhythms. They also wake frequently during the night because they need to be fed or changed. However, at around three months of age, they may start to learn the rhythm of day and night. You can help your newborn learn to sleep more at night by exposing them to light and gently playing with them during the day. At night, provide a dim and quiet environment.
It is important to create positive sleep associations for your newborn. Some settling techniques, such as holding your baby until they fall asleep, can create a negative sleep association, resulting in them needing to be held to fall asleep. Instead, you can help your baby sleep by recognizing signs of sleep readiness, teaching them to fall asleep on their own, and providing the right environment for comfortable and safe sleep. For example, swaddling (wrapping newborn babies snugly in a blanket to keep their arms and legs from flailing) can make a baby feel safe and help them fall asleep. However, do not swaddle if your baby is two months or older, or if they can roll over on their own, as this may increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
To establish a healthy sleep routine, it is also important to watch for changes in your baby's sleep pattern. If your baby has been sleeping consistently and suddenly starts waking more often, there may be a problem such as an ear infection or another illness. Sometimes, a change in sleep patterns can also be due to a growth spurt, changes in development, or overstimulation.
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Sleep positions and safety
The safest way for a newborn baby to sleep is on their back, known as the supine position. This is because babies who sleep on their front or side have a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Sleeping on the back is also known to prevent choking or vomiting, as fluids have to fight gravity to get from the stomach to the baby's mouth.
It is recommended that babies sleep on their back from the very beginning, making it a routine for every sleep, day and night. This is because babies who are usually placed on their back to sleep but are sometimes placed on their front or side are at a high risk of SIDS.
Babies should always sleep on a firm, flat, and waterproof mattress. Their cot should be clear of items such as toys, loose blankets, bumpers, pillows, or stuffed animals that could cover their face and keep their airways clear.
While side sleeping may look cosy, it is not the safest choice for babies, especially when they are under 12 months old. Side sleeping can cause uneven pressure on one side of the skull, which may lead to positional plagiocephaly. It is also less supportive for the neck and head, and the baby may slowly slump forward, with their chin pressing into their chest, restricting airflow.
Once your baby can move themselves from their back to their front and back again, they will be able to find their own sleeping position. Until then, parents can swaddle their babies to prevent them from flipping onto their side.
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Frequently asked questions
Newborns sleep for around 16 to 17 hours a day. However, this varies from baby to baby, with some newborns sleeping up to 18 or even 19 hours a day.
Newborns sleep in short bursts, usually around 20 to 50 minutes long. This is known as a sleep cycle.
Newborns do not know the difference between day and night. You can help them learn this distinction by exposing them to light and playing with them during the day, and providing a dim and quiet environment at night.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends room-sharing without bed-sharing. Always place your baby on their back to sleep, on a firm, safety-approved sleep surface. Do not use pillows, blankets, or stuffed animals in the crib.
Newborns have small nostrils, which makes their breathing noisy. They also snore and make little grunts. As long as your baby is sleeping through their own noises, this is usually not cause for concern.
