STAGES OF NEWBORN SLEEP

Sleep is defined as a condition of body and mind which recurs for several hours every night, in which the nervous system is inactive,the eyes closed, the postural muscles relaxed and consciuosness practically suspended.

Sleep patterns in newborns are different from those in older children and adults.

For newborns, sleep is about equally divided between rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep and follows these stages:

STAGE 1: Drowsiness, in which the baby starts to fall asleep.

STAGE 2: REM sleep (also referred to as active sleep), in which the baby may twitch or jerk her arms or legs, and her eyes move under her closed eyelids. Breathing is often irregular and may stop for 5 to 10 seconds—a condition called normal periodic breathing of infancy. The irregular breathing is normal as it lessens as the baby's brain matures. REM sleep is much more prominent in newborns taking up to 50% of their sleep (80% in a premature baby). It decreases to 25% by the time they reach adolescence.

STAGE 3: Light sleep, in which breathing becomes more regular and sleep becomes less active.

STAGE 4: Deep non-REM sleep (also referred to as quiet sleep). Twitching and other movements cease, and the baby falls into sleep that becomes progressively deeper. During these stages, the baby may be more difficult to awake.

Unlike adults, young children go through these stages very quickly; meaning that they can be in deep sleep in just a matter of minutes.
They are usually able to sleep in a noisy environment and this can be a good thing as it enables them to sleep in a variety of places such as in the car and in the stroller.

Non-REM sleep allows our body to recharge and is essential for a baby's healthy physical and mental growth.