Sleep regression is a temporary deterioration in sleep that most commonly occurs in babies and toddlers around significant psychomotor and neurological milestones. It is unpleasant because it usually results in worse sleep for the baby.
The baby may start crying when being put to sleep and may skip daytime naps. These naps can become shorter or more interrupted. Skipping naps and shorter naps lead to overtiredness, which results in increased irritability and crankiness.
Another symptom of sleep regression is frequent night waking. Babies usually experience separation anxiety at night, which causes them to wake up. Often, the reason for waking up is a new psychomotor skill. This could be, for example, rolling onto their stomach, crawling, sitting up, etc.
Babies and children process sensory experiences from their day during sleep at night. If they learn something new, their brain processes it mostly at night. Therefore, it may happen that the baby stands up at night and only then wakes up to realize they are already standing.
Long awake periods can also appear at night, where the baby wakes up and, despite knowing they should sleep and trying to, they can’t. Other babies might play, clap, or squeal in the middle of the night. This period usually lasts 2-4 weeks.
The most common regressions
- 3-4 month sleep regression
- 8-10 month sleep regression
- 12 month regression
- 18 month regression
- 24 month regression
The names of the regressions are approximate because these are the ages when the individual regressions most commonly occur. However, if, for example, your baby stands up by themselves at furniture at 6 months, you will have the 8-10 month regression already at 6 months. 🙂
The 3-4 month sleep regression represents an irreversible change in your baby’s sleep. Their sleep matures, and the sleep cycle changes. Babies after this period may start waking up more frequently at night, and daytime naps may become more interrupted.
