Many parents believe that as long as their child's diet and exercise are adequate, and calcium supplementation is sufficient, height growth will be unproblematic. In reality, this is not entirely the case. A baby's sleep patterns also significantly influence their growth potential. So, what is the optimal bedtime for babies?
By 5-6 months, babies should be sleeping through the night, and parents may not need to wake them for nighttime feedings.At this stage, putting the baby to bed between 9 and 10 p.m. allows them to sleep through until morning. This not only establishes healthy sleep habits but also gives the mother a well-deserved rest after a long day. This is the best bedtime for babies (Public Health Network) For babies over 18 months old, the ideal bedtime is between 9 and 10 p.m.As they grow older, babies develop manners and establish many good habits. At this stage, it's beneficial to involve them in some social activities, providing a platform for self-expression. This helps them affirm their identity and build confidence. For instance, parents can bring their baby to small gatherings—whether family or friends—to create opportunities for interaction and adapting to new environments. This not only broadens their horizons but also cultivates grace and poise.
Infants: 16–18 hours
Preschoolers: 11–12 hours daily
School-age children: At least 10 hours
Teenagers: 9–10 hours
Adults: 7–8 hours
Many children fall short by half an hour to an hour of sleep each day.This may seem insignificant, but like any debt, sleep debt must eventually be repaid. Accumulating sleep deprivation can lead to attention deficits, reduced learning motivation, and poor academic performance. Understanding your baby's optimal sleep schedule and implementing appropriate measures to help them fall asleep quickly is crucial. So, how can you improve your baby's sleep? To interpret the signals your baby sends during sleep, first understand the nature of infant sleep.Generally, babies spend half to two-thirds of their day sleeping.
Human sleep isn't just deep slumber; it alternates between two phases—rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep.During REM sleep, brain waves resemble those of quiet wakefulness and are more active than in NREM sleep. This phase is accompanied by rapid eye movements beneath closed eyelids, and most adult dreaming occurs during this stage.
Infant sleep also follows these two phases, though with distinct differences from adults.First, REM sleep constitutes a larger proportion of an infant's sleep. From birth to two months, it accounts for about half of their total sleep time, later decreasing to 30–40%. In contrast, adults typically experience only 20% REM sleep. Second, infants often enter REM sleep immediately upon falling asleep, whereas adults first undergo approximately one hour of non-REM sleep.
The high proportion of REM sleep in infants is closely tied to their developmental needs. Scientists widely agree that this active REM sleep provides sufficient internal stimulation to ensure the normal development of their nervous system. This explains why babies often appear "restless" during sleep: eye movements, unusual facial expressions, irregular breathing, and occasional limb movements. These are all normal phenomena, and mothers need not worry.
If a baby becomes overly excited during daytime play or experiences excessive stimulation—such as loud noises, or encountering people or objects that frighten them—they may cry or wake up startled at night. This too is no cause for alarm. A mother's calm demeanor, gentle voice, and soothing touch will help settle the baby. As long as the baby is generally content, such episodes typically won't cause lasting or severe effects.
Another common scenario is a baby crying before bedtime and being difficult to soothe. This usually happens when the baby's bedtime routine isn't followed consistently, the environment changes, or the baby plays too energetically before sleep—leaving them drowsy but unable to calm down.In such moments, the mother should first steady her own emotions. Gently massaging the baby, softly patting or stroking them, or humming quiet melodies can gradually calm them down. Avoid vigorous shaking or slapping.