#babysleep #sleepingtips #parentingtips #inmotion
Have you ever wondered why babies seem to sleep better when they are in motion, such as when they are being rocked in their cradles? 🤔 It’s a common phenomenon that many parents have observed, but what is the science behind it? Let’s dive into the reasons why babies sleep better when they are in motion.
## The Science Behind It
1. **Vestibular Stimulation**:
– When babies are in motion, they experience vestibular stimulation, which is the sensory input that comes from the movement and position of the head. This stimulation has a calming effect on babies and can help them fall asleep more easily.
2. **Recreation of the Womb Environment**:
– The rhythmic motion of rocking mimics the movements that babies experienced in the womb. This familiar sensation can help babies feel safe and secure, making it easier for them to drift off to sleep.
3. **Promotion of Deep Sleep**:
– The gentle rocking motion can help babies enter deeper stages of sleep, where they are less likely to be easily disturbed. This can result in longer and more restful sleep for babies.
## Benefits of Sleeping in Motion
1. **Faster Sleep Onset**:
– Babies who are rocked to sleep often fall asleep more quickly than those who are not. This can be a lifesaver for exhausted parents looking for ways to help their little ones sleep.
2. **Extended Sleep Duration**:
– Babies who sleep in motion tend to sleep for longer periods of time. This means more uninterrupted sleep for both babies and parents.
3. **Reduced Night Wakings**:
– Babies who sleep better in motion are less likely to wake up frequently throughout the night. This can lead to better quality sleep for the whole family.
## Tips for Using Motion to Help Babies Sleep
1. **Rocking in a Cradle**:
– Rocking a baby gently in a cradle can be a soothing way to help them fall asleep. Make sure the motion is slow and gentle to avoid overstimulation.
2. **Swinging in a Baby Swing**:
– Baby swings provide a comfortable and secure environment for babies to sleep in motion. The swinging motion can lull babies to sleep and keep them asleep for longer stretches of time.
3. **Using a Rocking Chair**:
– Rocking chairs are a classic way to help babies sleep in motion. Sit in a rocking chair with your baby in your arms and gently rock back and forth until they fall asleep.
4. **Car Rides**:
– Many parents find that their babies fall asleep easily in the car due to the gentle motion and vibrations. If your baby is having trouble sleeping, a short car ride might just do the trick.
In conclusion, babies sleep better when they are in motion due to the calming effects of vestibular stimulation, the recreation of the womb environment, and the promotion of deep sleep. Using motion to help babies sleep can lead to faster sleep onset, extended sleep duration, and reduced night wakings. So the next time your little one is having trouble falling asleep, consider rocking them gently in their cradle or taking them for a car ride to help them drift off to dreamland. 💤 #babysleep #sleepingtips #parentingtips
It mimicks when they were in the womb, they would sleep when mom walked around, gently sloshing in the amniotic fluid
It mimicks when they are carried around. And sleeping is the best thing survival wise at that time for a baby.
Making sounds attracts predators, predators love babies. And your mom is busy you don’t wanna distract her doing anything in a dangerous environment.
Rocking and rhythmic movement stimulates what is called the “vestibular system” which lives in your ears and is responsible for helping us stay balanced and not fall over.
The way it does that is by sending messages all over the brain with information about how our body is positioned and moving. Are you leaning back? Is your head tilted to the side? Things like that.
If you think of the brain like a big team where everyone has different responsibilities and they each have their own area that they take care of.
So the vestibular system is sending messages to all the different areas of your brain and some of those areas are responsible for things like emotions and sleep. When we rock back and forth messages get sent to areas of the brain that end up making us feel calm and sleepy.
We are still learning more and more about exactly how it works but thats the general idea.
Also fun fact rocking to sleep works on mice as well
Somewhat related to this. The womb is an insanely noisy place with the moms heartbeat, blood rushing, and outside noises filtering through.
If you want your baby to sleep through everything, get a noise machine, and stop tip-toeing and whispering through the house.
Move and act like normal. Play your music, watch TV, talk at a regular volume, have friends over…
Our son slept through new year’s parties, game nights, and crazy thunderstorms that had *me* sit up straight in bed with my heart racing.
That wall of sound will become soothing and comforting once they get used to it. Kinda like, when we were kids and it made us feel much more safe when we heard our parents in the living room, and move through the home when we went to bed, as opposed to a silent house that feels strange and empty.
I’m not saying throw raves every night, but carry on being yourself.
Related to this, and something I recommend trying if you’re having a hard time falling asleep. Visualize rocking, like deep down. Feel it. It helps me a lot.
For thousands of years humans were a nomadic species. Babies and small children were carried. So we still crave that sensation now.