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Have you ever watched a sleeping baby twitch or let out a tiny whimper and wondered— could they be dreaming? Babies naturally require a lot of sleep, needing around 12 to 16 hours of sleep per day so they may dream. And if so, what do babies dream about?
Understanding a baby’s sleep patterns can provide insights into their dreaming, as these patterns are influenced by their developing imagination and emotions. In this article, we’ll explore if babies dream, what they may dream about, and how they behave when dreaming.
Do Babies Dream?
Well, there’s no clear answer as to whether babies dream and when babies start dreaming. Dreams usually take place in REM (rapid eye movement) sleep stage. During this stage of sleep, your body and brain activity generally increases.
Newborns spend about 50% of their sleep in REM sleep, more than twice what an adult spends [1]. While adults dream almost every night, it’s uncertain if babies do the same. Some neuroscientists think that it may not be possible for them to dream due to their brains being too immature to form abstract thoughts and images [2].
Baby Sleep Patterns
Baby sleep patterns are unique and differ significantly from those of adults. Newborns spend up to 18 hours a day sleeping, with most of it in the REM sleep stage. As babies grow, their sleep patterns change, and they start to develop a more regular sleep schedule. By around 6 months, babies typically start to sleep for longer stretches at night, and by 12 months, they usually sleep for 12-15 hours in 24 hours.
Babies’ sleep patterns are influenced by their brain development. During sleep, babies’ brains process and consolidate information, and their bodies repair and grow tissues. Understanding this is essential for parents to be able to provide a sleep-conducive environment and establish healthy sleep habits from an early age.
What Do Babies Mostly Dream About?
We don’t know what babies spend their time dreaming about. However, we can probably make some guesses and say that it could be related to their daily experience, familiar faces, or scenes from their waking life [3].
Babies’ Actions and Behaviors During REM Sleep
Some common actions and behaviors you might notice that indicate your baby could be dreaming include:
- Twitching or jerking movements
- Smiling or frowning
- Whimpering
- Eyes moving beneath their lids
- Sucking motions or mouth movements
These behaviors might also impact your baby’s ability to fall asleep, especially if they are experiencing separation anxiety or nightmares.
Theories on Baby Dreams
While we can’t directly ask babies about their dreams, researchers have developed several theories about what babies might dream about. One theory is that babies dream about their experiences, including their time in the womb. Another theory suggests that babies dream about their surroundings and the people around them.
Some researchers believe that babies’ dreams are more like a jumble of random sensations and images, rather than a coherent narrative. Others suggest that babies’ dreams may be related to their brain development, with dreams becoming more complex and vivid as the brain matures.
While we may never know for certain what babies dream about, research continues to uncover the mysteries of infant sleep and brain development.
What Do Babies Dream About When They Smile?
If a baby smiles during their nighttime sleep, it could mean that they are reacting or reliving a comforting sensation, sound, or interaction that they had while being awake.
Some also hypothesize that it may be just a reflex that happens during the REM sleep stage rather than a reaction to a specific dream that they had.
Some scientists also believe that smiling could be a reflex rather than a response to a specific dream, as part of their natural brain development.
What Do Babies Dream About When They Cry?
If an infant sleeps at night and cries during this rest time, it might not necessarily mean they’re having a bad dream. It could be linked to their brain processing sensory experiences, such as discomfort or overstimulation from their day. Crying could also reflect a reflexive response rather than a specific dream.
In REM sleep, where dreaming occurs, they may be reacting to sensations that mimic hunger, loneliness, or unfamiliar noises. As their nervous system matures, these reactions help them process the world and build connections in their developing brains.
Nightmares in Babies
A newborn baby is unlikely to have nightmares or night terrors due to the lack of brain development. Babies wake often due to various factors such as hunger or discomfort so it’s hard to determine whether their waking could be from a nightmare or just a basic need that they have.
According to experts, it’s common for children to have their first nightmares between the age of 1 to 2 years old. At this age, they can communicate their thoughts and feelings [4].
However, if you do notice a change in your baby’s sleep patterns that seems rather concerning, you may want to consider speaking to your healthcare provider.
Conclusion
Scientists and researchers are still unsure as to what babies really dream about and there’s no way of verifying it until they are at an age where they are able to communicate this. Your baby could likely behave a certain way due to a physical need.
If your baby struggles with falling asleep at night, you may want to identify what’s causing it to happen. Consider using the ShutEye® app to keep track of your baby’s sleep cycles, analyze dreams, and improve sleep quality.
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