Sleeping Habits and Sleep Hygiene

Some processes happen in the brain while we sleep that help with long-term memory, which is important for learning. Sleep patterns change as we age, similar to other developmental skills like walking and talking. While there are online charts showing how many hours babies should sleep, and it's common to compare siblings, these charts aren't reliable for every child. Each child is unique and develops at their own pace in all areas, including sleep. Generally, as long as your baby is healthy and meeting their developmental milestones, you don't need to worry about how many hours they sleep.

Children need much more sleep than adults. Infants and young children sleep throughout the day and night and need to eat more often. It’s normal for babies during their first year to wake up at night for feedings. Until they're about 3 months old, babies don’t have a biological clock, meaning they don’t know when it’s day or night. Although it’s possible to help them learn the difference between day and night in various ways, like any learning process, it takes time.

This article talks about sleep habits and sleep hygiene. Sleep hygiene refers to the environmental conditions and family routines that can promote healthy sleep.

How to help infants develop sleep habits

To help your infant develop healthy sleep habits, watch for signs of tiredness and follow these steps to encourage sleep.

• Look for signs of tiredness: signs like red eyes, eye rubbing, movements, or even crying can mean the infant is tired and ready for sleep. It’s time to encourage sleep.
• Bedtime routine: create a regular series of activities to do every evening before bed. You can start this routine as soon as the baby is born. During the first few months, this routine will signal to the infant that it is time to sleep. It’s important to do these activities in the same order each night so the baby learns to associate them with sleep.
  What can a bedtime routine include? A bath, a change of clothes, a massage, soft songs, or a bedtime story that suits the baby's age and attention span. Choose activities that both you and the infant enjoy.

Sleep from 3 months onward and a schedule

Around 3 months old, infants typically start sleeping for longer stretches of 4-5 hours at night, waking only to eat. At this age, infants usually need about 14-16 hours of sleep each day, spread over 3 periods. More continuous sleep is expected in the early night hours, but infants might still wake up. Changes in sleep patterns may occur due to "developmental leaps" or growth spurts, which are normal for infants and not linked to the parents' behavior. During this time, you can start to notice signs of tiredness and more established sleep patterns and begin to create a routine for the infant.

A regular (but flexible) schedule should include:

• A consistent bedtime.
• A calm period before bed, avoiding vigorous activities, and instead engaging in quiet activities like listening to music, gentle play, or reading.
• A bedtime routine as described above.
• A morning routine: A short series of activities done every morning to help establish a sense of order.

When the infant starts daycare, like a daycare center or nursery school, the schedule there will also impact them. Try to learn about it and follow it as closely as possible on weekends.

Feeding before bedtime – it doesn’t lead to longer, uninterrupted sleep!

As babies grow, more and more of them begin to sleep for longer stretches at night, waking once or twice to eat. This is part of normal development, and these awakenings are not always caused by hunger. Therefore, feeding more before bedtime does not reduce the number of awakenings. Give time and nature a chance to do their work. If you feel frustrated and tired, that is completely natural and understandable—especially if you don’t see progress and are struggling to cope.

After six months of age, you can choose structured approaches that focus on teaching babies to fall back asleep on their own after waking, which is a natural part of sleep. In the meantime, you can try, for example, separating feeding from sleep. That is, feed your baby until they are drowsy, but not fully asleep. You can also give your baby a chance to fall back asleep independently, and only go to them if they are unable to do so after a few minutes. You can receive free guidance and support on this topic from nurses at your local family care center (Tipat Halav), both at the clinic and through the hotline.

Note: Until age one, it is important to place your baby to sleep in an empty crib, free of objects, to keep them safe and reduce the risk of sudden infant death.

Most babies will sleep through the night by age one, but some still need parental support to fall asleep. This depends on various factors such as developmental stage, health status, and temperament, along with parenting practices and continued learning of independent sleep skills.

At these ages, babies usually sleep about 11–14 hours in a 24-hour period (including daytime sleep). A daily routine typically develops, including consistent sleep times. It is important to initiate sleep at appropriate times as part of the daily routine, while also staying attentive to your child’s sleep and wake needs. When babies nap during the day, it is best that they sleep in a room that is not completely dark. At these ages, continue maintaining a bedtime routine and encourage the use of a comfort object.

Testing boundaries is a natural and common phase around age two: Children begin to test limits, and sleep issues are sometimes related to parental authority and boundaries.

Sleep at ages 2 to 3

During the third year of life, most toddlers transition to one daytime nap. By around age three, some toddlers no longer need a daytime nap, but it is still recommended to allow quiet rest time if needed during the day.

Transition to a larger bed: From around age three, sometimes earlier, children move from a crib to a larger bed. The timing should match the child’s motor abilities: when a toddler can climb, it is best to move them to a bed to prevent falls.

Afternoon activity: Many parents assume that high-energy activity in the afternoon will lead to better sleep, but this is usually a myth. To improve sleep and support health, it is recommended to allow physical activity during the day, not right before bedtime. Screen exposure close to bedtime is less desirable and may have a stimulating effect instead of calming.

For more information on sleep difficulties from six months to age 6

Coping with lack of sleep

Most adults expect to sleep at night, so how can you cope with limited sleep during this period?

• Take advantage of the flexibility of maternity leave. In Israel, most women have 15 weeks of maternity leave. This period overlaps with a time when sleep patterns are less established, so it is a good time to build habits and, most importantly, rest when your baby rests—not only at night.
• Be open to receiving help. Think about what kind of support could help you get more rest.

Breastfeeding and infant sleep

Research shows that women who breastfeed often get more total sleep, even if they are not always aware of it. Breastfeeding women release melatonin, a hormone that supports sleep, which is also present in breast milk in the evening and may help breastfed babies fall asleep. It is recommended that a breastfeeding mother get help from a partner, family member, or another person during nighttime feedings with tasks not directly related to feeding, such as helping the baby fall asleep afterward.

More things to know:

• Breastfeeding women are advised to avoid stimulating drinks in the evening, especially if their baby has difficulty falling asleep, as substances in these drinks may also affect the baby.
• There is no need to avoid letting a baby fall asleep while breastfeeding if it is comfortable for both mother and baby, but it is important to follow safe sleep guidelines as outlined in the safe sleep guidelines.