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Updated: Aug 15, 2025

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

Published on: October 2, 2019

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The Architecture of Early Childhood Sleep Over the First Two Years

Sonia Marie Lenehan1, Leanna Fogarty2, Cathal O'Connor2

  • 1INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. sonia.lenehan@ucc.ie.

Maternal and Child Health Journal
|December 31, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Sleep architecture in infants and young children is crucial for neurodevelopment. This review highlights sleep

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics
  • Child Psychology

Background:

  • Limited scientific literature describes infant and early childhood sleep architecture and function.
  • The impact of early sleep disruption on cognitive and physical development is under-studied.
  • Understanding sleep's role in early neurodevelopment is critical.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review sleep development in the first two years of life.
  • To investigate the association between early sleep patterns and neurodevelopment.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review conducted following PRISMA guidelines.
  • Searched four major databases: OVID Medline, Pubmed, CINAHL, and Web of Science.
  • Utilized predefined search terms for comprehensive data retrieval.

Main Results:

  • Included 93 studies with approximately 90,000 diverse subjects.
  • Sleep is the predominant state at birth, with evolving architecture (increased NREM, decreased REM) in the first two years.
  • Sleep changes correlate with developmental milestones; more research exists for early infancy than later stages.

Conclusions:

  • Sleep is vital for memory, learning, and socio-emotional development in young children.
  • Future longitudinal studies should detail monthly sleep architecture from 7-24 months.
  • Focusing on these periods can elucidate key characteristics during rapid neurodevelopment.
Abstract

Keywords:
Early childhoodInfant sleepNREMNeurodevelopmentREMSleep deprivationSleep–wake cycleTerm infants

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