In plain words
Active sleep is one of the two main stages of newborn sleep. Babies in active sleep may move, twitch, make sounds, and flutter their eyelids. They may also breathe unevenly and wake easily. Adults spend most of their sleep in quieter stages, but newborns spend a large share of sleep in active sleep. Many parents mistake active sleep for a baby who is awake or in distress. It is a normal stage of sleep. Researchers think it supports brain development, and it is one reason a newborn may stir or wake often through the night. Quiet sleep is the other stage, when the baby is still and breathing is more regular.
The deeper version
Infant sleep architecture is immature. Sleep cycles last roughly 50 to 60 minutes in early infancy, the proportion of active sleep (the infant counterpart of ) is high, and the newborn period is dominated by it. organization is incomplete: endogenous rhythms are not evident until roughly 8 to 12 weeks (Rivkees, 2003). Active sleep is characterized by rapid eye movements, irregular respiration, and muscle twitching. The consolidated, adult-like sleep pattern typically emerges over the first months with wide individual variation. The controversy is whether the high proportion of active sleep reflects a role in brain maturation or mainly the immaturity of the sleep-wake system.
Where it comes up
- Breastfeeding and sleep: feeding to sleep, night feeds, and sharing the loadFeeding Your Baby
- Days and nights mixed upBaby Basics
- Newborn sleep and safe sleepBaby Basics
- Swaddling: how and when to stopBaby Basics
What mothers here say about active sleep
No one has posted under this term yet.
Sources
- Rivkees SA — Developmental physiology of sleep and circadian rhythms in infants (2003)
- American Academy of Pediatrics — HealthyChildren.org guidance on newborn sleep patterns