Should Babies Sleep in Pitch Black?
We regularly hear things about raising children. Some that are science-based and some more akin to an old wives tale.
One of the things we commonly hear about is should babies sleep in pitch black?
Do Babies Sleep Better in the Dark?
First things first. It’s only when we’re older that we become afraid of the dark. As infants, the dark doesn’t really scare us.
In fact, nothing really does exept for two fears we are born with. They are the fear of falling and sudden loud noises.
Why? We have no basis for our fear at this age because our culture has not programmed us yet.
On the contrary, the dark can be quite comforting for infants.
The reason why infants love pitch-black more is that it closely resembles the environment they spent nine months in – their mother’s womb.
Like other mammals, babies find it comforting to be in a dark environment with very little to no light.
It makes them feel safe, secure and calm.
This is why infants almost immediately calm down, even when they’re overtired or overstimulated, as soon as you put them in a room that’s dark with white noise sounds.
So, this should already go without saying, but your baby doesn’t really have any need for night-lights.
They can even be quite counterproductive.
This is because any source of light can stimulate them and make it difficult for them to stay asleep or fall asleep.
Should Babies Sleep in Pitch Black During The Day?
The simple answer is “yes”. Babies should always sleep in pitch black if possible.
It doesn’t matter what time of the day it is. It can be morning or night. Babies prefer to sleep in the dark.
They’ll settle better, fall asleep better, and stay asleep longer if you put them in a dark room, even in the middle of the day.
Babies over 2 months of age, in particular, benefit from dark rooms the most.
The dark environment encourages the production of melatonin, a hormone responsible for regulating sleep.
Babies will find it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep in a dark room.
It shouldn’t take a rocket scientist to know just how important regular and quality sleep is for growing infants.
How Can I Help My Baby Sleep Better?
Putting your child in a dark room alone isn’t enough to guarantee that they sleep well. It’s only one of the many things that you can do.
The best way to help your baby sleep better is to take multiple courses of actions,
This includes, among others, making sure that you stick to a regular sleep/wake cycle, while also accounting for the ideal amount of sleep that your baby needs every night.
Sleep association is a wonderful thing if done right.
Help your child associate a dark or dimly lit room with minimal noise with the little things, for example a warm bath, a cuddle and a soothing lullaby before to going to sleep.
Then it will be far easier for baby to feel secure, settle down and sleep well at night.
Try this amazing lullaby to help soothe your baby at bedtime.
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