Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 28, 2026

Quantifying Infra-slow Dynamics of Spectral Power and Heart Rate in Sleeping Mice
10:56

Quantifying Infra-slow Dynamics of Spectral Power and Heart Rate in Sleeping Mice

Published on: August 2, 2017

Night waking, sleep-wake organization, and self-soothing in the first year of life

B L Goodlin-Jones1, M M Burnham, E E Gaylor

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Davis 95817, USA.

Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics : JDBP
|September 4, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Infant night waking is common, with most babies waking during the night. While older infants show more self-soothing, many still need parental help to return to sleep, highlighting individual factors in sleep development.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Sleep Science

Background:

  • Limited objective data exists on infant night waking and self-soothing.
  • Understanding these behaviors is crucial for infant development and parental support.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To objectively examine infant night waking and self-soothing behaviors.
  • To explore developmental changes in these behaviors during the first year of life.
  • To investigate parental responses to infant awakenings.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of 80 infants across four age groups (3, 6, 9, 12 months).
  • Four nights of video-recorded sleep observation (videosomnography).
  • Coding of nighttime awakenings and parent-child interactions.

Main Results:

  • Most infants woke during the night at all observed ages.
  • Younger infants (3-6 months) more frequently required parental intervention to resettle.
  • Older infants (9-12 months) showed increased self-soothing, but 50% still needed parental help at 12 months.
  • Significant variability noted in parental bedtime practices and responses to awakenings.

Conclusions:

  • Infant night waking is a normative behavior throughout the first year.
  • Self-soothing ability develops gradually, with significant individual differences.
  • Parental intervention remains common even in 12-month-old infants.
  • Individual and contextual factors significantly influence the development of self-soothing skills.

More Related Videos

Optogenetic Manipulation of Neural Circuits During Monitoring Sleep/wakefulness States in Mice08:58

Optogenetic Manipulation of Neural Circuits During Monitoring Sleep/wakefulness States in Mice

Published on: June 19, 2019

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood08:20

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood

Published on: October 2, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Sleep-Wake Cycles01:24

Sleep-Wake Cycles

Sleep is an essential physiological process vital to maintaining overall well-being. The reticular activating system (RAS), a network of neurons in the brainstem, regulates wakefulness and sleep. While it may seem passive, sleep consists of distinct cycles, each with its unique characteristics and functions. Two key sleep phases are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and  rapid eye movement (REM).
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
Understanding Sleep01:11

Understanding Sleep

Sleep, an essential biological state, involves significant reductions in physical activity, sensory awareness, and interaction with the environment. This complex physiological process is primarily regulated by specific brain regions, notably the hypothalamus and pons, which govern the sleep-wake cycle or circadian rhythm.
The circadian rhythm, a nearly 24-hour cycle, is deeply influenced by environmental light cues. Light exposure directly affects the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates...
Stages of Sleep01:22

Stages of Sleep

Sleep progresses through distinct stages, each characterized by specific brain wave patterns and physiological responses ranging from wakefulness to stages of non-rapid eye movement, known as non-REM, to rapid eye movement, referred to as REM. Understanding these stages helps in recognizing how sleep supports various bodily and cognitive functions.
Before sleep begins, in wakefulness, the brain exhibits primarily beta waves, which are high in frequency and low in amplitude, indicating alertness...
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder01:15

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is a sleep disorder characterized by the absence of muscle paralysis that normally occurs during the REM phase of sleep. This absence allows individuals to physically act out their dreams, which are often vivid and disturbing. Common behaviors exhibited during episodes include kicking, punching, and yelling. These actions can be dangerous, potentially leading to injuries for the person with RBD or their bed partner.
RBD is significantly associated with...
Nightmares and Night Terrors01:18

Nightmares and Night Terrors

Nightmares and night terrors represent two distinct types of sleep disturbances that differ in timing, characteristics, and the sleeper's recall of the event. Nightmares are vivid, disturbing dreams that usually awaken the sleeper from REM sleep, a stage of sleep where brain activity is high, and dreams are most frequent. Upon awakening, individuals often have detailed recollections of their nightmares, which can include themes of threats to survival, security, or self-esteem.
Nightmares often...
Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development01:14

Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development

The sensorimotor stage, the initial phase of Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, spans the first two years of a child's life. During this period, infants actively engage with their surroundings, building cognitive awareness through direct interaction with the world. This interaction is primarily based on sensory perception and motor actions, allowing infants to gradually understand basic physical properties and predict how objects interact within their environment.
Exploration...