The famous phrase “sleeping like a baby” is misleading – and that’s an understatement.
Whether you have a baby tossing and turning while sleeping, or you’re about to welcome a little one into your home, be prepared for lots of nighttime noises, fidgety infant movements, and newborn wiggles.
Curious why do babies move so much in their sleep and if your baby kicking all night or tossing and turning while sleeping is normal? This article explains why infant movement during sleep is normal, and how to handle it if it’s disrupting your sleep – or theirs.
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Why Is My Baby Moving So Much at Night?
It’s all a dream – literally. The most common reason why babies move so much in their sleep is because of their active dream cycles.
Babies – and all humans – experience two types of sleep: REM Sleep and NREM Sleep.
NREM Sleep appears first in a baby sleep cycle. This is a deep, restorative sleep. When your baby is in NREM sleep, they sleep more deeply and typically do not move.
REM Sleep in babies appears a bit later in the sleep cycle. This phase is when your brain is very active, which plays a big part in your baby’s growth and development.
This more active stage of sleep is also when your baby may dream and move around. Since REM appears later in the sleep cycle, babies often move in the middle of their sleep, rather than right after going down for their rest.
While it may seem like all this moving and shaking may be too active for a sleeping baby, our bodies naturally shift around while we sleep to keep our nerves from falling asleep.
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Why do newborns move so much in their sleep?
Newborns are a special case in the “baby moves in their sleep” category because in addition to dream-related movements, newborn babies have something called the Moro Reflex.
The Moro Reflex are involuntary twitches and jerks of a newborn’s limbs. It can a reflex in response to a sudden position change (like a crib transfer), noise, or even their own movements.
The Moro Reflex can be why newborn legs kick when swaddled – babies this young have an immature nervous system and can’t yet control their little bodies! This includes not being able to purposefully reach for something, purposefully kick, or lift their heads. This is why sometimes you will notice your baby constantly moving their arms and legs while sleeping – they are doing it unintentionally.
This is completely normal but can be surprising to some parents – and the Moro Reflex can also disrupt sleep. To help reduce the Moro Reflex, experts recommend to not stop swaddling your baby until they show signs of rolling over, which is usually around 2 months.
Other less common reasons an infant moves a lot in sleep:
- Night Terror: While more common in kids between 3 and 7, night terrors in babies could happen earlier in a baby sleep cycle. You may see your baby thrashing in sleep or crying inconsolably. Unlike a dream or nightmare, they are not in a fully conscious state and won’t remember it. Don’t wake them up, but you can hold their arms and legs while sleeping to keep them safe and in bed until the night terror passes.
- Nightmare: Babies can start getting nightmares as young as 6-months of age, however they typically show up closer to age 2 and peak between 3 and 12 years old. If your baby wakes up frightened, crying and unable to get back to sleep, it is possible they are experiencing baby nightmares.
- Pediatric Periodic Limb Movement Disorder: This is a rare medical condition in which a baby or child’s leg will jerk repeatedly in their sleep, usually around every 20-40 seconds. Often the movement is subtle enough that it does not disturb the baby’s sleep, but in some cases, it can be pronounced enough that the infant’s movement wakes them. If you think your baby has Pediatric Periodic Limb Movement Disorder, consult their pediatrician.
- Pediatric or Infant Restless Leg Syndrome: In very rare cases a baby may have Pediatric Restless Leg Syndrome. Signs of Pediatric Restless Leg Syndrome include your baby kicking legs at night excessively while asleep or trying to fall asleep, your baby tossing and turning while sleeping, and moving hands towards legs which may be because of itchiness.
Should I Move My Baby in Their Sleep?
Sometimes babies move so much in their sleep that they contort themselves into odd positions that appear uncomfortable or are unsafe.
If your infant moves a lot in sleep and into a position on their stomach, and they aren’t yet able to roll over, gently turn them back onto their back.
All babies should be put on their back to sleep for the first year, even after they know how to roll over and tend to move into the stomach sleeping position. The ABCs of Baby Sleep Safety also say that your baby should sleep alone in their crib, your baby should sleep on their back on a flat, firm mattress, and your baby’s crib should be clear of pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, or any other choking hazards for at least the first year.
If your baby can roll over and is sleeping well even if they appear uncomfortable, you can leave them. Moving your baby while they sleep may disrupt their rest and wake them. If your baby is safe and sleeping soundly, it’s better to let them get the sleep they need.
How Do I Help My Baby Tossing and Turning Sleep Better?
If you’re concerned that your baby constantly moving while sleeping is disrupting their sleep, take this free sleep assessment to see if there are any specific changes that you can make to help, whether it be to their bedtime routine, room temperature, or sleep schedule. Building healthy sleep habits for babies is also one of the best ways to help them sleep soundly.
For many fidgety babies, ways to help mitigate sleep disruption include:
- Create a Sleep-Nurturing Environment: A baby’s room should be dark, cool, and have a sound machine that blocks out outside noise.
- Dream Feed: If your baby is still feeding at night, dream feed to help them sleep for longer and more soundly. Dream feeding is essentially feeding your baby while they’re still asleep. Here is more guidance on how to dream feed.
- Follow a Consistent, Calming Bedtime Routine: Taking time to help your baby relax and unwind after their exciting day will get them into a sleepy mindset – and repeating a bedtime routine every day will help establish their sleep schedule and cue them that it’s time for bed. Your bedtime routine can include anything that’s calm and relaxing – bath, story time, lullabies, and cuddle time are always popular – but whatever your bedtime routine involves, it must be the same every night.
- Watch for Sleepy Cues: Sleepy cues are things like yawning, pulling ears, rubbing eyes, gazing with glassy eyes, or avoiding looking at you or others. If you see these cues, it’s time to start your bedtime routine to avoid an overtired baby.
- Follow an Age-Appropriate Sleep Schedule: A baby’s wake windows change as they age – their overnight sleeps get longer, and they drop naps. Help your baby get the rest they need by keeping an age-appropriate sleep schedule. We have month-by-month baby sleep schedules here.
- Avoid Screens or Blue Light Before Bed: The wavelengths of light from television, computer, and phone screens stimulate the brain, making it harder to sleep. That’s why you should limit your baby’s exposure to such screens at least one hour before bed. The same goes for us adults.
Final Thoughts
If you think it's not normal if your infant moves a lot in sleep, the truth is, it is! Whether it be because they are in active sleep or that they are a newborn, a baby will stir in sleep often, and it’s usually nothing to worry about.
Instilling healthy sleep habits and following the correct sleep schedule can help ensure your baby gets the restorative sleep they need to grow and thrive and will help them sleep through the night.
If you’re still concerned that your baby moves a lot in sleep, bring it up to your pediatrician as sometimes there could be additional underlying causes of why your baby may seem restless when sleeping.
