What Is Sleep?

Everyone sleeps. Humans sleep, toads sleep, monkeys sleep, dogs sleep, and whales sleep. But, surprisingly, we know very little about sleep. Although sleep researchers understand the mechanisms of sleep and what happens to the brain and body when we sleep, we still do not know why we sleep.

Some believe sleep has a restorative function. Others believe that we sleep to conserve energy. Still others believe that sleep is adaptive, that it enhances survival. What we do know is that everyone needs to sleep. People cannot function without it. The body craves sleep when too much time has gone by without it. People also don't feel like themselves when they haven't gotten enough sleep. So while we are not exactly sure what sleep is, we do know that we need it.

One aspect of sleep that is well understood is that many people have sleep disorders. Approximately 25-30 percent of adults have a sleep problem, such as insomnia or obstructive sleep apnea, and most adults get too little sleep. Babies and toddlers have sleep problems too. Some are quite serious, such as sleep apnea. Most are just difficult to deal with, such as problems at bedtime or frequent night wakings.

Sleep is a natural process and we all know how to sleep. However, good sleeping habits need to be developed. Bad sleeping habits, especially when trying to fall asleep, are what become problematic for many babies and toddlers. Babies learn to fall asleep under specific circumstances, such as being rocked, being pushed in a stroller, or simply lying in a crib. It is these circumstances that may or may not lead to a baby's sleep problems; that is, many babies develop good sleep habits, whereas other babies develop poor sleep

Why Doesn’t My Baby Sleep?

Sleep problems in young children are much more common than you may think. While research studies have consistently shown that between 25 percent and 30 percent of all infants and toddlers have some type of sleep disturbance, a recent National Sleep Foundation Sleep in America poll found that almost seven out of ten children (up to age ten) experience some type of sleep problem, and 75 percent of all parents want to change something about their child's sleep. That is a large number of children and families. You are certainly not alone if you have problems with your baby's sleep.

Of course, if your neighbour's baby or your friend's baby sleeps, then you may ask yourself, “Why does my child have a problem?” First of all, and most important, it seems there is a biological predisposition to having sleep problems. This means that some babies are more susceptible to sleep problems than others. Some babies start sleeping through the night within a few weeks of coming home from the hospital and never have any problems with sleep.

Other babies, however, never seem to get a good night's sleep. Thus, some babies are born "sleepers" and some babies are not. Some babies have more difficulty teaming to fall asleep, are more easily aroused from sleep, and are more sensitive to changes in routines that affect their sleep patterns. I once heard a parent joke that when she ordered her next baby, she was going to check the "sleeper" box. Many parents feel this way.

Some parents blame themselves for their child's sleep problems. Some believe that if they just hadn't rocked him to sleep as an infant, he would be fine. Others feel that they let their child sleep in bed with them for too long, and that is what caused their baby's problems.

Unfortunately, the truth is that parents often do play a role in their child's sleep problems. They may inadvertently have instituted poor sleep habits. But a baby's sleep problems are not entirely the parents' fault. The baby also contributes. Many babies who are rocked or nursed to sleep go to sleep quickly and don't wake during the night. It is apparent, then, that the same parenting behaviour can lead to sleep problems in some babies and not in others. Parents therefore need to change their behaviour only if their baby has a problem sleeping through the night.

Predictors of Sleep Problem

In addition to a biological predisposition, there are certain other factors that place a child at risk for sleep problems. Below are a number of things that can contribute to a baby having a sleep problem.

Firstborn - Firstborns are more at risk for sleep problems. Why? Probably because parents are more anxious with their first child. This is their first time at parenting, and they are usually more concerned about whether they are doing it right or wrong.

They tend to be much less tolerant of their child's cries, and they have more time to devote to their first child, including getting up and rocking the baby back to sleep in the middle of the night. Later, when the family is larger, parents tend to set a definite bedtime for the children.

When it is bedtime, everyone goes to bed. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. And it is rare to have the luxury of rocking later-born children to sleep or nursing them to sleep when you are trying to get everyone into pyjamas with teeth brushed and so on.

Colic or Ear Infection - Children with colic or frequent ear infections are much more likely to have sleep problems, primarily because they get into the habit of waking during the night when they aren't feeling well. Then, even when they are feeling better, they may still wake during the night and have difficulty returning to sleep without help from their parents. For the parents, it is difficult to determine whether their baby is still in pain from an ear infection or is just having problems sleeping.

Same Bed or Room - Studies have shown that almost all children who sleep in the same bed or in the same room as their parents wake during the night. Chapter 8 explains why this happens.

Breastfeeding - Breast-fed babies are more likely to fall into the habit of nursing to sleep, and needing to be nursed back to sleep when they naturally awaken during the night. They are also more likely to take longer to sleep through the night. One study found that 52 percent of breast-fed infants, but only 20 percent of bottle-fed infants, wake during the night.

Foods - In rare instances foods may be related to sleep problems. For example, milk intolerance may be related to persistent sleeplessness. Some infants with milk intolerance take longer to fall asleep at bedtime, sleep fewer hours, and have more night wakings.

Since milk intolerance happens in so few children, it should be suspected only when all the usual causes of sleeplessness have been excluded. Many people believe that the eating of solid foods by infants improves sleep. This is not true. Infants who eat solid foods do not sleep any better than those who do not eat solid foods. Sleeping for longer periods at a stretch is caused by maturation, not changes in diet.

Major Changes - Major changes, such as going on a trip, a death in the family, a parent returning to work, an illness, or even a major developmental change, can bring on sleep problems even in babies who were always good sleepers.

Awake or Asleep - Studies show that infants who are put to bed already asleep are much more likely to wake during the night than infants who are put in their cribs awake and fall asleep there. The National Sleep Foundation poll found that babies who are put to bed already asleep take longer to fall asleep, are twice as likely to wake during the night, and sleep on average an hour less per night.

So if your baby is asleep before you put her in her crib, she is much less likely to sleep through the night.