Sustained versus Fragmented Sleep

BWS - 03

What is REM sleep? REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement and reflects a quality of sleep that is necessary for memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and advanced cognitive growth. In infants, it is also referred to as "Active Sleep” due to observable physical signs like body movements, irregular breathing, and rapid eye movements under closed eyelids.

Simiilar to a host of other neulogic benefits and deficincys, there is a difference between REM sleep and active sleep in infants when comparing those who achieve extended nighttime sleep early on versus those who do not. Infants who sleep through the night early tend to transition between sleep cycles more smoothly, allowing for longer and more consistent stretches of REM sleep. As a result, healthy REM sleep promotes better memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and cognitive development as their brains complete more efficient sleep cycles.

In contrast, infants who wake frequently during the night experience fragmented sleep cycles, which can disrupt REM sleep and its associated benefits. This interruption may delay the brain's processing of daily experiences and hinder emotional and cognitive development.

The fact that infants who sleep through the night experience fewer interruptions in active sleep explains a lot about their daytime contentment. Infants who achieve extended nighttime sleep tend to achieve a better quality of consolidated and restorative sleep cycles, which in turn promote better brain development. They are also more likely to transition between sleep stages without fully waking, preserving the structure of their sleep cycles. This, in turn, supports healthy cognitive and emotional growth.

Again, the contrast is clear. Infants with fragmented sleep experience shorter and interrupted cycles, limiting restorative REM sleep and potentially slowing memory consolidation and processing of new information.

In summary, infants who achieve extended nighttime sleep enjoy more stable and beneficial REM and active sleep, supporting cognitive and emotional development. Those who do not may experience more disrupted active sleep, leading to less efficient memory and experience processing.