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Newborn sleep patterns and behaviors can be a mystery to parents – they sleep in short bursts, wake often at night, and move a lot while asleep.
Oftentimes questions are related to the stages of newborn sleep, which can be quite different from those of older babies and adults – especially when it comes to active sleep in newborns.
In this article we’ll dive into the characteristics of active sleep in infants and what to expect from baby active sleep, and how it relates to their development, and also answer common questions such as “What to do when baby is moving a lot in active sleep?” and “When does newborn active sleep stop?”
Before you read about newborn active sleep, that this free 3-minute quiz for better sleep to see what you can do to get your baby sleeping better – starting right now.
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What is Active Sleep in Newborns?
Active sleep in newborns refers to the stage of sleep when your baby is experiencing a form of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, a phase that’s crucial for their brain development and the consolidation of their memories. Like when they are awake, a brain is busy during newborn REM!
Aside from movement behind the eyes and irregular breathing, newborn active sleep is much different than the active sleep of adults and older babies.
Newborns spend more time in active sleep earlier in their life because their brains are still developing, and newborn REM plays a crucial role in that growth. Also, unlike an older baby or adult who typically experiences REM sleep later in the sleep cycle, newborn REM sleep happens in the earliest part of the sleep cycle to ensure they get enough.
Newborns move a lot more when in active sleep and can be very noisy. As they grow and the amount of newborn REM sleep decreases, their sleep becomes deeper and more settled.
What Does Active Sleep Look Like in Newborns:
Signs of active newborn sleep can be like the Moro reflex, which are involuntary reflexes that happen from a sudden noise or movement and part of your baby’s neurological development. The Moro reflex is one of the many reasons why babies move in sleep, and it typically goes away with age.
Other signs include:
- Twitching while asleep.
- Kicking, shifting, moving limbs, or rolling.
- Grunting, sucking, or other noises.
- Rapid eye movements, which happens with older babies and adults.
- Irregular sounding breathing, which also can happen with older babies and adults.
- Sometimes newborn in active sleep crying can happen.
- A baby in active sleep with eyes open also can be normal.
How Long Does Active Sleep Last in Babies?
A common question is when do babies stop having active sleep. The answer is that active sleep continues to be a part of our sleep cycles for life, but changes after the newborn stage.
During the first 3 months of life, known as the 4th trimester, a newborn can sleep up to 18 hours a day, with up to 50% of that in active, or REM, sleep.
While they spend much of their day asleep, a newborn sleeps short bursts between feeds. Since they don’t yet have a predictable sleep schedule and eat and sleep around the clock, so some sleeps can be as short as 10 minutes, with others as long as 2 hours – so the actual amount of REM each cycle can vary.
A complete newborn baby sleep cycle is shorter than an older babies or adults, about 50 minutes, with newborn REM happening for as much as half of each cycle. Once your baby reaches around 3-4 months and their circadian rhythm starts to mature, sleep cycles get longer (60-90 minutes) as they feed less and stay awake for longer periods during the day.
At this time, they will also start consolidating their sleep at night and spending more time in deeper, or non-active, cycles of sleep. By the time they reach adulthood, they will spend closer to 25-30% of their time asleep in the REM sleep cycle.
Keep in mind that every baby is different. If you have questions about your baby’s sleep patterns, your healthcare provider can offer more personalized guidance.
What is the Importance of Active Sleep in Development?
Sleep is crucial to support the rapid growth and development of a newborn.
Newborn active sleep in particular plays a major role in cognitive and sensory development. It's when in newborn active sleep that your little one will process all their new experiences and start to build memories. REM is also when nightmares and dreaming happen (even though it’s unclear if baby nightmares and dreams actually happen).
The right balance of newborn REM and non-REM sleep also is key for growth – they may grow between 1.5-2 pounds (.68-9 kilograms) a month during the newborn stage alone! Their bodies will use the time asleep to restore itself.
Plus, getting the right balance of REM and non-REM sleep helps your baby develop healthy sleep habits and their circadian rhythm, ultimately setting the stage to more predictable routines and sleeping through the night.
If you’re worried about your baby’s sleep or want help creating a better sleep schedule, download the Smart Sleep Coach by Pampers app.
How to Respond to Newborn in Active Sleep
Sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference between newborn active sleep vs awake. Unlike adults, a newborn in active sleep can be noisy, move a lot, and sometimes even cry in their sleep.
It’s common for your instinct to be to immediately check on them. However, that could accidentally wake them up, as during newborn REM they are sleeping lightly.
Sometimes you may notice their eyes open in active sleep or hear cries. However, if their eyes don’t stay open and they don’t start to make louder noises, it could simply be a sign they are moving between sleep cycles.
Unless it’s time your baby’s next feed or your baby poops while sleeping, the best thing to do when your baby is in active sleep is to give them a minute to see if they quiet. An active sleeping newborn will become quieter and calmer once they reach their less-active non-REM sleep cycle, which happens later in the cycle.
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Safety Considerations During Newborn Active Sleep
Baby sleep safety is critical, especially when it comes to active sleep. This is because your newborn spends so much time in active sleep and moves around a lot during it.
To keep your newborn safe while sleeping, make sure you:
- Keep their room at the ideal room temperature
- Always put your newborn down on their back to sleep
- Remove any loose bedding, pillows, or soft toys from their sleep space
- Ensure your newborn’s crib or bassinet mattress is firm and flat
- Roomshare with your baby for at least the first 6-months of life
- Stop swaddling if your newborn shows any signs of rolling over
- If your newborn rolls to sleep on their stomach and can’t yet roll back on their own, gently return them to their back
When to consult healthcare professionals
While irregular breathing, such as short 5-10 second pauses followed by rapid breaths, can be normal during newborn REM sleep, seek medical attention if your newborn is breathing very rapidly, or showing behavior such as labored breathing or pausing between breaths for more than 10 seconds regularly, or if their skin looks bluish.
Similarly, while movements and twitches in sleep are normal for a newborn, if you suspect your baby is having a seizure, seek immediate medical care. Unlike the Moro reflex, which is usually a one-time movement triggered by a noise or sudden movement, an infant seizure can happen back-to-back or in clusters that last for several minutes. Moro reflex slowly disappears by n 4-6 months.
Final Thoughts
Newborn active sleep is yet another interesting thing you’ll observe after you bring your baby home. While usually your newborns’ movements or noises while asleep are completely normal, always speak to your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns.
Apps like Smart Sleep Coach are designed to help you demystify newborn REM, as well as baby sleep in general – at any time, any stage.
Try to enjoy the cute movements and noises – like with everything in babyhood, it moves fast!
