How does the sleep pattern of infants change by around 6 months?

How does the sleep pattern of infants change by around 6 months?

• A. Infants' sleep architecture begins to resemble that of adults.
• B. Infants sleep exactly like adults.
• C. Infants stop waking at night entirely by six months.
• D. Infants require no daytime sleep.

Answer: (A)

By about six months, infant sleep shows maturation toward adult-like structure. This means sleep cycles become more organized with clearer shifts between lighter and deeper stages and a pattern of REM sleep that begins to resemble what adults experience. The brain’s control of sleep strengthens, and circadian rhythms start to stabilize in response to day–night cues, leading to longer periods of consolidated nighttime sleep and more regular daytime naps. But it isn’t exactly the same as adult sleep yet, and infants may still wake at night and need feeds or comforting. They also still require daytime sleep, and the proportion of REM sleep is typically higher than in adults. Overall, this time marks the shift toward the adult-like organization of sleep that continues to mature over the next months.

By about six months, infant sleep shows maturation toward adult-like structure. This means sleep cycles become more organized with clearer shifts between lighter and deeper stages and a pattern of REM sleep that begins to resemble what adults experience. The brain’s control of sleep strengthens, and circadian rhythms start to stabilize in response to day–night cues, leading to longer periods of consolidated nighttime sleep and more regular daytime naps.

But it isn’t exactly the same as adult sleep yet, and infants may still wake at night and need feeds or comforting. They also still require daytime sleep, and the proportion of REM sleep is typically higher than in adults. Overall, this time marks the shift toward the adult-like organization of sleep that continues to mature over the next months.