Understanding the sleep cycle

Sleep isn’t just about rest. Sleep is when your child’s body and brain make important changes to grow, recover, and get ready for the next day. 

During good quality sleep, your child’s body will:

  • repair cells
  • reduce stress
  • build and repair tissue.

Whilst your child sleeps, their heart rate, breathing, and body temperature will lower. Their brain activity also changes depending on the stage of sleep they’re in. 

There are two main types of sleep. They are both important for your child’s growth, learning and overall wellbeing. 

Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM)

NREM sleep is the deep, restful phase when your child’s body slows down so it can repair and recover. 

  • Stage 1: The light stage of sleep when your child is just drifting off.
  • Stage 2 and 3: Deeper sleep stages where their heart rate and body temperature drop, allowing the body to rest and heal. 

Rapid Eye Movement (REM)

REM sleep is a lighter stage of sleep when most dreaming happens. Your child’s heart rate and breathing become faster, likelike when they’re awake. Their muscles stay relaxed, so they don’t act out their dreams. During this stage, their eyes move quickly from side to side under their eyelids.