Routine Sleep Schedules Good for Infants

Posted by Ryan Hurd on May 1, 2009

ScienceDaily reported a study from the journal Sleep today showing a strong connection between regular bedtimes for babies and improved sleep patterns.

Here’s a snippet from the original article:

Results indicate that the establishment of a nightly bedtime routine produced significant reductions in problematic sleep behaviors for infants and toddlers. Improvements were seen in latency and sleep onset and in the number and duration of night wakings. Toddlers were less likely to call out to their parents or get out of their crib/bed during the night. Sleep continuity increased and there was a significant decrease in the number of mothers who rated their child’s sleep as problematic.

Also, mother’s mood increased too!

The link to maternal mood is not trivial, because mothers who are also more rested are more likely to create a safe place for the infants and toddlers to calm down before going to bed. This fits in with the larger accepted body of research that suggests that established daily sleep routines are good for everyone.

Journal reference: A Nightly Bedtime Routine: Impact on Sleep in Young Children and Maternal Mood. Sleep, May 1, 2009