Causes of Sleep Difficulties in Infants
- Inability to distinguish between day and night: After spending nine months in a dark womb, infants often have trouble recognizing the time of day. As a result, many tend to sleep during the day and remain awake at night, a pattern that can persist for several months.
- Overstimulation before bed: Engaging in physical activities or experiencing excitement (such as verbal interaction) can heighten an infant’s nervous system activity before sleep, making them more alert for a longer period. Experts recommend that parents keep the last two hours before bedtime calm and peaceful.
- Quick interventions during sleep: Infants typically make noises or may briefly cry while sleeping. If a parent intervenes quickly by picking up the baby, they may inadvertently wake them from slumber.
- Severe fatigue: When an infant stays awake for more than three continuous hours, they may become overtired, leading to what resembles insomnia and difficulties in falling asleep.
- Hunger: Just like adults, if an infant feels hungry or unsatisfied, they will remain awake until they feel full.
Ways to Help Infants Sleep Better
Sleep issues in infants can be quite frustrating, often stemming from a feeling of helplessness in resolving the issue. Infants have different sleep patterns compared to adults, which limits the strategies parents can employ to assist them. For instance, it is not feasible to expect a newborn to sleep for eight continuous hours due to their specific physiological needs.
Moreover, sleep challenges in infants cannot be addressed in the same way as those in older children. Research suggests that methods involving ignoring a baby’s cries do not work well for infants under six months old. However, this does not mean that there are no viable solutions. Several tips and techniques can be employed to help infants sleep, such as:
- Exposing the infant to sunlight during the day to aid in distinguishing between day and night.
- Engaging with the infant during the day and communicating with them during feeding times, while avoiding interaction at night to help them differentiate between day and night.
- Establishing consistent bedtime routines, including changing diapers, feeding before sleep, and dressing them in comfortable clothing.
- Giving a warm bath to relax the infant and promote sleep.
My Baby Won’t Sleep! Video
Infants require more sleep than adults; here’s how we can assist them in achieving it: