Newborn Sleep Patterns: Understanding Their Sleep-Wake Cycles

Newborns generally sleep between 11 and 19 hours a day, with some sleeping for up to 19 hours. Their sleep patterns are irregular, and they wake up frequently to feed. Newborns don't know the difference between day and night, so they sleep and feed around the clock. They usually sleep in short bursts, known as sleep cycles, which last for around 20 to 50 minutes. As newborns grow into infants, they start to develop a more consistent sleep schedule, sleeping for longer stretches at night. By the age of six months, 90% of babies sleep through the night, although this varies from baby to baby.

Newborns don't know the difference between day and night

Newborns don't yet have a sense of day and night. They sleep around the clock, and because their tiny stomachs don't hold enough breast milk or formula to keep them satisfied for long, they wake often to feed—no matter the time of day or night. It may take a few weeks for a newborn's brain to know the difference between night and day.

Newborns should get 14 to 17 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Some newborns may sleep up to 18 to 19 hours a day. Newborns wake every couple of hours to eat. Breastfed babies feed about every 2 to 3 hours, while bottle-fed babies tend to feed every 3 to 4 hours.

How to Help Newborns Sleep More at 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. You can also provide a dim and quiet environment at night. Avoid sleep-inducing activities during the day if possible. At night, keep the lights low or turn them off near the baby's sleeping area, and limit sound and movement while the baby is asleep.

By the age of 6 months, 90% of babies sleep through the night. However, this can vary significantly from baby to baby. Some babies start sleeping through the night (for 5 to 6 hours at a time) by 2 to 3 months of age, but some take longer.

When to Contact a Doctor

While the range of what is normal for a newborn's sleep is quite wide, if you have questions or concerns about your baby's sleep, talk with your doctor.

Newborns sleep in short bursts, known as sleep cycles

Sleep cycles consist of active sleep and quiet sleep. During active sleep, a newborn 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.

It is a normal part of sleep cycles for newborns to wake between sleep cycles. As they get older, they will learn to settle themselves and fall back to sleep. This is called self-settling. Different babies have different temperaments, personalities, and self-settling abilities.

You can help your newborn to settle by:

• Putting them in their cot when they are tired but still awake.
• Recognising and responding to tired signs.
• Using a gentle, positive, and consistent routine, such as feed, play, sleep.
• Using different techniques to settle your baby.

It is important to create positive sleep associations for your newborn. Some settling techniques may be challenging to maintain long-term, such as holding your baby until they fall asleep. These can create a negative sleep association for your newborn, resulting in them needing to be held to fall asleep. You need to decide what is right for you and your family.

Newborns follow their own schedule, and it may take a few weeks for your baby's brain to know the difference between night and day. There are no tricks to speed this up, but it helps to keep things quiet and calm during middle-of-the-night feedings and diaper changes. Try to keep the lights low and resist the urge to play with or talk to your baby. This will send the message that nighttime is for sleeping.

If possible, let your baby fall asleep in their crib at night so they learn that it's the place for sleep. Don't try to keep your baby up during the day in the hopes that they will sleep better at night. Overly tired infants often have more trouble sleeping than those who have had enough sleep during the day.

Newborns need to be fed or changed at night

Newborns don't know the difference between day and night, so they sleep and wake up at irregular intervals. They also have tiny stomachs, so they need to be fed every few hours, day or night.

Newborns should get 14 to 17 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Some newborns may sleep up to 18 to 19 hours a day. They wake up every couple of hours to be fed. Breastfed babies feed more frequently, about every two to three hours. Bottle-fed babies tend to feed less often, about every three to four hours.

Newborns who sleep for longer stretches should be awakened to feed. Wake your baby every three to four hours to eat until they show good weight gain, which usually happens within the first couple of weeks. After that, it's okay to let your baby sleep for longer periods at night.

The first months of a baby's life can be the hardest for parents, who might get up many times a night to tend to the baby. Each baby has a different sleep pattern. Some start to sleep through the night (for five to six hours at a time) by two to three months of age, but some don't.

Hunger is a common reason for babies to wake up at night. Newborns don't eat much in a single feeding, and if they are consuming breast milk, they will digest it quickly. They may wake up hungry and ready to fill their bellies again.

Babies need to eat to grow, so it's not healthy to try to change this need or train your baby to act differently. Even if you know that you just fed your baby a couple of hours earlier, offer breast milk or formula to see if food is what they need. Thirst is another reason babies wake up, and a drink of breast milk or formula may do the trick.

It's important to keep your baby on a regular feeding schedule, even at night, to ensure they are getting enough nutrition.

Newborns sleep more at night if they're hungry or unwell

Newborns typically sleep for around 8–9 hours during the day and 8 hours at night, but this can vary from 11 to 19 hours per day. They usually sleep in small chunks of 1–2 hours at a time and wake up at least every 3 hours to feed. This is because their tummies are tiny and they need to be fed frequently. As they get older, their nighttime needs change, and they start to sleep for longer stretches at night.

If your newborn is sleeping more at night, it could be because they are hungry or unwell. Here are some signs that your baby is waking up due to hunger:

• They fall asleep while feeding: If your baby falls asleep during a feed, they are likely relaxed and tired and would have fallen asleep anyway.
• They go back to sleep without feeding: If a baby is hungry, they won't give up easily. If you comfort and soothe your baby and they go back to sleep for a long stretch, they probably weren't hungry.
• They are waking often to eat: A full sleep cycle is 2 hours, so if your baby is waking every few hours, it's likely that they are just waking from a sleep cycle and need the sucking motion to go back to sleep.
• They are under 6 months old and haven't started solids: Babies under 6 months old typically need at least one nighttime feed as they have smaller tummies and need to refuel during the night.
• They wake up early in the morning and gulp down their milk: If your baby has been crying and waking at night and then wakes up early in the morning and drinks their milk eagerly, consider keeping one night feed.
• They seem very lethargic and unresponsive.
• They are 14 days old and have not retained their birth weight.
• They are more than 6 weeks old and are consistently gaining less than 4–6 ounces per week.
• They are producing fewer than four very wet diapers per day.
• They do not seem calmer after eating.
• They are sleeping more than usual and also showing other symptoms of illness, such as a fever or poor colour.

If you are concerned about your baby's sleep habits, it is a good idea to keep a sleep log to track their sleep patterns. If you are worried that your baby may be sleeping too much, consult a pediatrician.

Newborns may sleep more during the day if they're overstimulated

Newborns sleep a lot—typically anywhere from 11 to 19 hours a day in their first year. This sleep is usually spread out into smaller chunks throughout the day and night, especially during the first few months. While newborns need a lot of sleep to support their rapid growth and development, they may sleep more during the day if they are overstimulated.

Overstimulation occurs when newborns are overwhelmed by more experiences, sensations, noise, and activity than they can handle. For example, a newborn might become very unsettled after a party where they are passed around and cuddled by many grown-ups. They may also get overstimulated by daily errands, such as grocery shopping, or social activities, like family gatherings. Being in a room full of strangers or a loud, bright, or busy environment may also be too much for a newborn to process.

Signs that your newborn is overstimulated include:

• Appearing limp with glassy eyes
• Changing colour and becoming red or splotchy
• Covering their eyes or face
• Turning their head away
• Kicking or waving their arms and legs in an agitated way
• Yawning or hiccupping excessively
• Clenching their fists
• Crying, especially if the overstimulation has gone on for a long time

If you notice these signs, it's important to remove your newborn from the stimulating environment and give them some quiet time in a familiar, calm setting. Take them to a quiet room with low lights and minimal noise, and reduce social stimulation. You can also try swaddling your baby or providing white noise, such as the sound of a fan or soft music.

To prevent overstimulation, stick to a predictable routine and be mindful of your newborn's feeding and nap schedule. Keep errands and social activities short, and avoid screen time for children under two years old.

Frequently asked questions