Newborn sleep can feel like a mystery for new parents. You know your baby needs it, but figuring out how to get them to sleep well? That’s a whole different ballgame. Most of the time, it comes down to a lack of information about what newborns actually need and not understanding the science behind it. Let’s break it down.

Why Is Sleep So Important for You and Your Newborn?

We often think of sleep as a time to rest, but your brain is anything but lazy during sleep. In fact, your brain can be more active when you’re asleep than when you’re awake—especially for newborns and young infants who spend most of their time sleeping and dreaming. Research shows that sleep is crucial for a baby’s development—supporting a healthy brain, body, and immune system. Sleep is when the body repairs, tissues heal, learning happens, memories process, and the central nervous system gets its tune-up. For adults, lack of sleep messes with our concentration, judgment, and emotions. Bottom line: sleep is non-negotiable for both you and your baby.

Your Newborn is Learning How to Sleep—Literally

Sleep for adults is organized and follows a specific pattern driven by our internal clock (circadian rhythm) and the natural build-up of sleepiness throughout the day (homeostatic drive). For babies, this process is a work in progress. They’re born without an established circadian rhythm and are still learning to differentiate between day vs. night.

Plus, a key hormone in sleep is melatonin, also known as the “hormone of darkness,” which preps us for sleep and peaks during childhood. Unfortunately melatonin doesn’t influence daytime sleep… which if you’ve had a newborn, you know that sleeping during the day is a big chunk of what your newborn spends time doing!

What Affects Newborn Daytime Sleep?

A newborn’s sleep drive builds up during the day, and their naps happen because they simply can’t stay awake any longer. It’s important to remember that there’s no set pattern yet— some babies can stay awake for 20 minutes, some 45. The pattern starts to shape up around 14-16 weeks which interestingly enough is about the time your baby’s circadian rhythm starts to develop... see? It’s all connected!

Creating daytime rituals can help even before the circadian rhythm is established.. Exposing your newborn to morning light at the same time each day and dimming the lights in the evening helps your baby begin the process of differentiating between night and day and it also sets the stage for a good night’s sleep. Consistency with these cues is key; as it teaches the brain and body when it’s time to sleep.

Even if your newborn is sleeping on you or near you, you can begin to establish gentle pre-nap rhythms that can also help teach the brain when it’s time to sleep. For example, changing their diaper, singing a lullaby, and reading a short book before settling them to sleep helps you eventually shape a consistent bedtime routine as your baby gets older.

Understanding Sleep Stages

It’s important to remember that sleep isn’t just one long phase; it has stages—NREM (deep sleep) and REM (dream sleep). For newborns, these cycles are short—just 50-60 minutes—and they jump into dream sleep first. Around four months, these sleep stages start to mature, and things can get chaotic as your baby’s sleep begins to shift to a more adult-like pattern.

In general, you can expect for night sleep to start to consolidate and improve first, while daytime sleep might still be all over the place for a little while. And that's perfectly normal. Having realistic expectations for wake windows, how long your baby can sleep, what your baby needs to sleep peacefully are all super important!

So, What Can You Do To Help Your Newborn Sleep?

As we’ve mentioned, newborn sleep isn’t driven by a circadian rhythm yet—that comes around four months. For now, focus on building a consistent morning and evening routine to teach your baby when it’s time for sleep. Daytime sleep will happen on its own due to a strong sleep drive, but starting a steady bedtime routine now will help lay the groundwork for healthy sleep habits as they grow.

Need Help?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or just want some expert guidance, Detroit Dreams Tonight offers virtual and live-in infant sleep coaching support to help you navigate infant sleep. Additionally, our postpartum doulas are wonderful at helping you get extra rest while your newborn still learns how to sleep on their own. We’re here to support you in creating healthy sleep patterns for your little one—because you and your baby deserve good, restorative sleep.