Why babies need twice as much sleep as adults

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Article Summary

Babies need twice as much sleep as adults. The amount of sleep a baby has will affect his moods, alertness, and ability to concentrate and participate in his environment. Quality periods of sleep are just as important to your baby as the nourishment he gets. Research has highlighted the importance of sleep in the development of a baby's central nervous system. There's also an indication that a healthy immune system is in part dependent on a baby having a sufficient amount of sleep.

While your baby is awake every sound and motion is a new experience which requires physical and mental energy to process, as he hasn't yet learnt how to block out sounds and movements that he doesn't want to have to deal with. The only way for your baby to completely switch off and recharge is to sleep. This state offers him sanctuary from his physical and social environment.

When babies are asleep we tend to presume they are in a simple state of rest. In fact babies have two pre?set sleep cycles ? deep sleep and active sleep. These rotate in cycles of around 60 minutes during your baby's sleep periods.

During active sleep (REM or rapid eye movement sleep) you may see your baby twitch, smile or flutter their eyes open. This is because although he looks peaceful, there is a tremendous amount of activity going on within the brain. Your baby's body is relaxed, but his mind is very alert.

During deep sleep (NREM or Non?REM sleep) no?one is totally sure what is going on in your baby's brain. Some experts suggest this is when the deeper section of brain continues to develop and make connections deep within the brain.

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