Become unbeatable when it comes to knowing all about your baby’s sleep cycle from birth to 3 years

1. The sleep cycle, definition
2. Understanding the different phases of sleep
3. Latency
4. Your baby’s sleep cycle from birth to 3 years
5. A little help from Calmosine for your baby’s sleep

To understand sleep, we can compare it to trains running one behind the other. Each train corresponds to a sleep cycle. The wagons represent the various stages of sleep. This comparison is made by paediatricians especially and is called the “sleep train”.

The length of the trains (cycle length) and the number of wagons in the train (the different stages of sleep represented by the number of wagons) vary according to age.
● 2 wagons for babies
1 restless sleep wagon and 1 calm sleep wagon
● 5 wagons for adults
2 light non-REM sleep wagons, 2 deep REM sleep wagons, 1 REM sleep wagon.

Going to sleep

First phase of the sleep cycle, during which we yawn often and start to doze. It only usually lasts a few minutes!

Restless sleep (REM sleep)

The dream phase, also called REM sleep. We are sleeping but the brain continues to be active. The body can also move and react, but we are well and truly asleep.

Light non-REM sleep

Phase of drowsiness during which we remain calm and still, while still vaguely making out surrounding sounds. We can come around and wake up at any time during this phase.

Deep non-REM sleep

As its name suggests, it is the sleep phase during which we can’t hear anything and we don’t move. During deep sleep, we recharge our batteries and really rest our body and mind. Children produce a growth hormone during this phase to ensure their proper development.

The between phase, corresponding either to gradual waking, or the start of a new sleep train or cycle. A little like the large links linking the wagons together.

Now you are an expert on the different sleep phases, let’s see how they apply between birth and 3 years!

At the maternity ward

For the first 24h/48h, your baby will keep the same sleep routine as in the womb. They will mainly sleep with very few waking phases. Like their mum, they need to recover after the birth. From the 3rd day, the waking phases last a little longer.

Up to 3 months

In the first 3 months of life your baby will go through between 8 and 9 sleep cycles per day… They can therefore sleep for 16 to 20h! On paper that seems great but as you can guess they do not sleep for that long all in one go. They will sleep for 3h in a row maximum on average. As they can’t yet tell the difference between day and night, it is not a problem to take little naps at any time of day. It has to be said, a baby’s life is tiring! Discovering the world, coping with digestive disorders or even with a thousand cuddles from the family, it’s exhausting! If you notice your baby is restless while sleeping, it means they are in the restless sleep phase. If you wake them you will have to wait for the next train before they fall asleep again. And only they know at what time it will arrive!

Between 3 and 9 months

Your baby can now tell the difference between day and night! This when the time asleep increases at night and decreases in the daytime. Little by little, they will start sleeping 5-6h in a row at night. So they really get used to the difference between day and night, you can get your baby used to sleeping with a light on in the day and in a low noise environment. They will thus understand that the world hasn’t stopped turning. If your baby sleeps longer, the sleep cycles will be shorter however. They will last on average between 1h and 1h10 minutes, with micro awakenings in between. It is therefore normal that your baby is a little grouchy between each cycle. For all that, it is recommended not going to see them in their room straight away, as it may prevent them falling back asleep.

From 1 to 3 years

The more the months go on, the more your baby’s sleep begins to resemble that of an adults. From now on they are able to sleep alone! They may nevertheless experience sleep disorders. Between each cycle, they may still wake for a few minutes and become anxious, as this is when baby’s nightmares and night terrors start. During the first 5 minutes of these micro-awakenings, their favourite toy can comfort them if they have one. If your baby cannot calm down, your just being there can certainly help them to relax.

From 3 years

It’s time to go to school and to almost be grown up! With their days full of activities, your baby should not miss out on sleep and should really be sleeping through the night!

Whatever your baby’s age, we recommend putting an actual bedtime routine in place to get them used to going to sleep in the best possible conditions.

• A quiet and comfortable place, with no surrounding interferences
• A cuddle, a kiss, a story, a cradle… It’s up to you to decide what your baby prefers
• Keep them away from screens of any kind before going to sleep (the same rule also applies for adults)

If you feel that your baby is lacking sleep and needs a little extra help, try Organic CALMOSINE SLEEP: a natural and mild food supplement to quiet your baby’s sleep. It is particularly recommended for sleep disorders:
● Difficulty sleeping
● Waking at night
● Crying at night
● Waking early in the morning

The secret of Organic CALMOSINE Sleep? Plants to make it easier to go to sleep and to restore quality sleep!

Lemon balm

a plant from the Lamiaceae family, used for centuries to help decrease agitation and irritability, promote sleep and improve quality of sleep.

Lemon verbena

a plant from the Verbenaceae family which helps restore regular sleep thanks to its calming properties.

Orange flower

a plant from the Rutaceae family, much liked by all for its delicate and mild flavour.

Each baby is of course different and their sleep cycle is therefore also different. We could think otherwise, but sleeping is not inborn and requires learning skills! The key word in this long adventure is obviously patience. And if you have the slightest doubt or question, do not hesitate to see your paediatrician!