Rem Sleep: Strategies For Soothing Toddler's Slumber

Sleep is a temporary state in which the brain is disconnected from its surroundings. There are five stages of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and four stages of non-REM sleep. REM sleep is often referred to as active sleep, during which a baby's eyes move rapidly underneath closed eyelids, and they may experience irregular breathing and body movements. Non-REM sleep is called quiet sleep, during which a baby is still and breathes evenly. Understanding the differences between adult and toddler sleep patterns is important for parents to help their toddlers develop healthy sleep habits.

Toddlers need 11-14 hours of sleep every 24 hours

Sleep is incredibly important for children of all ages, as it helps them play, learn and concentrate during the day. Toddlers, in particular, need 11-14 hours of sleep every 24 hours. This is usually a sleep of 10-12 hours a night, with a nap of 1-2 hours during the day.

It's worth noting that the amount of sleep toddlers need can vary depending on their age. For example, a 12-month-old toddler will need 11-14 hours of sleep, whereas a 3-year-old will need 10-13 hours. As toddlers get older, they tend to drop their morning nap, settling into a single longer nap after lunch. By the time they're 5 years old, most toddlers will no longer need a nap.

It's also interesting to note that toddlers sleep a lot more than adults. While the average adult sleeps for 7-9 hours a night, toddlers can sleep for up to 14 hours in a 24-hour period. This is because sleep is the primary brain activity for toddlers, and it helps with their growth and development.

If you're concerned that your toddler isn't getting enough sleep, look out for signs of overtiredness, such as tantrums, clinginess, trips and tumbles, hyperactivity, or frequent napping during the day.

REM sleep is important for learning and memory

Sleep is essential for children's physical and cognitive development. It helps them learn, concentrate, and remember things, and it boosts their immunity and growth. The amount of sleep children need varies with age, with newborns requiring the most sleep at 14-17 hours per day. Toddlers need 11-14 hours of sleep every 24 hours, usually with a sleep of 10-12 hours a night and a nap of 1-2 hours during the day.

REM sleep, or rapid eye movement sleep, is a crucial part of a toddler's sleep cycle. During REM sleep, toddlers may experience dreams, and this stage of sleep is important for learning and memory. Toddlers spend a significant amount of their sleep in REM sleep, which is necessary for processing and consolidating the day's events and forming long-term memories.

Research has shown that sleep has a significant impact on learning and memory. For example, a study found that participants who napped between learning sessions retained information better than those who did not nap. Another study on anagram puzzles found that participants solved 15 to 35% more puzzles when awakened during REM sleep compared to NREM sleep or during the daytime.

REM sleep is also associated with improved problem-solving abilities. The brain transfers short-term memories to long-term storage during this stage, allowing for the consolidation of new information. Sleep spindles, which are spikes of neural activity during REM sleep, are believed to play a vital role in learning and memory consolidation for physical tasks.

Overall, ensuring that toddlers get adequate REM sleep is crucial for their cognitive development and memory retention.

Non-REM sleep is when the body repairs and regrows tissues

While REM sleep is important for learning and memory, non-REM sleep is when the body does its physical repair work. During the deeper stages of non-REM sleep, the body repairs and regrows tissues, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens the immune system. This is also when the body releases human growth hormone (HGH), which plays a crucial role in muscle repair and growth. HGH stimulates protein synthesis, the process by which damaged muscle fibres are repaired and new muscle tissue is built.

The amount of non-REM sleep gradually decreases as we age. Children get the most deep sleep, while teenagers get less of it. Adults spend about 85% of the night in non-REM sleep, while babies spend just 50% in this state. As we get older, we sleep more lightly and get less deep sleep.

During non-REM sleep, the body is less active, which makes it easier to heal injuries and repair issues that occurred while awake. This is why we feel more tired when we are sick and our bodies need more rest to recover.

Non-REM sleep consists of three stages. The first is the lightest stage of sleep, which usually lasts only a few minutes. The second is light sleep, but deeper than the first stage, and the third is deep sleep, which is harder to wake from. In adults, the third stage makes up about 25% of total sleep time.

Sleep training is not possible for most newborns

Sleep training is a way to teach your baby to self-soothe and fall asleep on their own without help from their parent or caregiver. It is recommended to start newborn sleep training after the 4th trimester, between 4-6 months of age. By 4 months old, most babies can sleep for six hours between feeds overnight. By 6 months, most children can sleep through the night.

However, sleep training is not possible for most newborns because they haven't yet developed the necessary circadian rhythms that will help them sleep through the night. At this young age, newborns sleep on and off during the day and night, sleeping for a total of 14-17 hours in every 24 hours. They move through active and quiet sleep in cycles that last about 40 minutes and often wake up after a sleep cycle, needing help to get back to sleep.

By the time they are 3-6 months old, babies start to develop night and day sleep patterns and tend to sleep more at night. They usually sleep for 12-15 hours in every 24 hours, with 2-3 daytime sleeps of up to 2 hours each. They often wake at least once overnight.

While sleep training can be beneficial for older babies and toddlers, it is not typically recommended for newborns due to their immature sleep patterns and reliance on their caregivers for comfort and nourishment.

• Create a safe sleeping environment.
• Establish a consistent sleepy-time routine.
• Teach your baby the skill of self-soothing from day one.
• Phase out sleep habits like rocking your baby to sleep.
• Responsive settling can be a good option if you want to comfort and settle your baby each time they wake during the night.

A positive bedtime routine can help toddlers settle to sleep

A positive bedtime routine can be the difference between good sleep habits and sleepless nights for toddlers. Toddlers need 11-14 hours of sleep every 24 hours, and a bedtime routine can help them settle into a healthy sleep pattern.

A bedtime routine for toddlers should start with a pre-bed routine of around 30-60 minutes. This can include dimming the lights, engaging in quiet play, and putting on some white noise in the background. The ideal bedtime for toddlers is between 8 and 8:30 pm, with lights out by 8:30 pm.

The "get in bed" bedtime routine should be pleasant, loving, calming, and consistent. It can include activities such as a warm bath, a massage with coconut oil or cocoa butter, reading a bedtime story, singing a lullaby, and cuddling. It is important to keep the bedroom at the right temperature for sleep, between 66 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit, and to use a pleasant smell like lavender oil.

A bedtime routine teaches toddlers self-care and lays the foundation for working memory, attention, and other cognitive skills. It also fosters parent-child bonding and can improve mood, stress levels, and behavior. Research shows that children who follow bedtime routines are more likely to go to sleep earlier, fall asleep faster, sleep longer, and wake up less during the night.

It is important to be consistent with the bedtime routine and to make sure it includes activities that help the toddler relax and wind down. It should also include dental hygiene practices and using the bathroom to prevent bedwetting. Toddlers should not engage in stimulating activities before bed, such as active play or using electronic devices, as this can make it harder for them to fall asleep.

By establishing a positive bedtime routine, parents can help their toddlers settle into a healthy sleep pattern, promoting their physical and mental well-being.

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