Why do babies cry in their sleep?

Why do babies cry in their sleep?

Wondering why your baby cries during sleep? Learn how sleep cycles affect your baby's sleep patterns and discover soothing tips to help your little one sleep.

One minute your baby is sleeping soundly, snug as a bug in their bassinet. The next, they’re flailing their little arms and wailing. 

As a new parent or caregiver, hearing these sudden cries in the middle of the night can be disconcerting. Is your baby in pain? Frightened? Hungry?

Rest assured that most of the time, these periods of crying are related to a baby’s sleep cycle and has nothing to do with any actual discomfort.

Here, we further explore what makes babies cry in their sleep and offer soothing tips to calm your little one back into a peaceful slumber.

Understanding baby sleep cycles

During your baby’s first few months, they’ll cycle through two main stages of sleep: quiet sleep and active sleep. Each full sleep cycle lasts about a 40 minutes, at which time the baby will repeat the cycle.

But how does this relate to why newborns cry in their sleep?

Sleep cycles are often why your little one might let out an unexpected cry before falling back to sleep. Below, we discuss a baby’s typical stages of sleep and what causes those startling mid-sleep cries.

Quiet sleep

Also referred to as non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, quiet sleep is your baby’s first sleep phase. During quiet sleep at this age, your little one will likely transition from drowsiness to a deep, restful sleep with minimal movement. They will remain still in this phase until they transition to active sleep..

Active sleep

Once babies enter the second phase of sleep, also known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, their eyes begin moving back and forth, prompting their ability to dream. Sometimes this causes their arms and legs to move, which can jostle them awake and cause them to cry. You may also notice an increase in sounds or facial expressions during this time that might make you wonder “Why do babies make noise in their sleep?” or “Why do babies smile in their sleep?”

As babies transition to active sleep, sometimes they accidentally wake themselves up, which can also elicit the occasional wail. While your first instinct might be to pick them up and soothe them, give them a moment. Often, they can put themselves back to sleep. 

How to soothe a crying baby during sleep

When you’re barely awake yourself and hear your baby's abrupt cries, your mind might race, wondering how to soothe them. So,

if they don’t fall back asleep on their own, give one of these gentle techniques a try:

  • Use a white noise machine to dull any distracting noises.
  • Give them a pacifier to soothe them back to sleep.
  • Gently pat or stroke their back to provide comfort.
  • Be calm and patient. A soothing presence may help them settle down more quickly.
  • Check for any signs of discomfort that may be causing the crying, such as a dirty diaper, hunger, or a baby who has gotten too hot at night. 

If your baby still seems unsettled, try additional comforting methods:

  • Pick them up briefly for a gentle cuddle or rock them softly for a few minutes.
  • Offer a quiet lullaby or a soft hum to create a calming atmosphere.

If your little one continues to cry or their cries intensify despite consistent efforts to soothe them, consider seeking advice from your pediatrician.

Find peace of mind with Nanit

As a new parent, peace of mind is invaluable when it comes to your baby's sleep. With the Nanit Pro Camera, you’ll have a bird’s eye view of your baby, night and day, no matter where you are.

With a simple tap on the Nanit app, you can instantly check in on your little one. And with Nanit’s convenient cry detection feature, you’ll receive a notification the moment they cry, allowing you to assess the situation in seconds.

In addition, Nanit’s Breathing Wear utilizes sensor-free breathing motion monitoring, providing you with reassurance that your child is breathing comfortably while they sleep.

Nanit has your family’s best interest—and best sleep—in mind. Discover the Nanit bundle that suits your needs for a better night’s rest for all.

Key takeaways

  • Understanding baby sleep cycles. Do babies cry in their sleep? Babies cycle through two main stages of sleep that can cause the occasional cry: quiet sleep and active sleep.
  • Calming a crying baby. To soothe a crying baby, try using a white noise machine, offering a pacifier, gently patting or stroking their back, and checking for signs of discomfort.
  • Using a smart monitoring tool. The Nanit Pro Camera tracks your baby's sleep patterns and provides insights into their sleep quality and duration.

Sources:

Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. The Visual Scoring of Sleep in Infants 0 to 2 Months of Age. https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/10.5664/jcsm.5600

Nationwide Children’s. From Wide-Awake to Fast-Asleep: Baby’s Sleep Patterns. https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/family-resources-education/family-resources-library/from-wide-awake-to-fast-asleep-babys-sleep-patterns 

NCT. Why Does My Baby Cry In Their Sleep? https://www.nct.org.uk/baby-toddler/crying/why-does-my-baby-cry-their-sleep

Nanit is dedicated to delivering high-quality, reliable content for our readers. Our Parent Confidently articles are crafted by experienced parenting contributors and are firmly rooted in data and research. To ensure the accuracy and relevance of the content, all articles undergo a rigorous review process by our team of parenting experts. Additionally, our wellness-related content receives further scrutiny from Nanit Lab, our think tank of scientists, engineers, physicians, academic experts, and thought leaders.

Our primary objective is to furnish readers with the most current, trustworthy, and actionable information concerning a host of parenting topics. We strive to empower our readers to make informed decisions by offering comprehensive and respected insights.

In pursuit of transparency and credibility, our articles incorporate credible third-party sources, peer-reviewed studies, and abstracts. These sources are directly linked within the text or provided at the bottom of the articles to grant readers easy access to the source material.

CONTRIBUTORS

Natalie Barnett, PhD serves as VP of Clinical Research at Nanit. Natalie initiated sleep research collaborations at Nanit and in her current role, Natalie oversees collaborations with researchers at hospitals and universities around the world who use the Nanit camera to better understand pediatric sleep and leads the internal sleep and development research programs at Nanit. Natalie holds a Ph.D. in Genetics from the University of New England in Australia and a Postgraduate Certificate in Pediatric Sleep Science from the University of Western Australia. Natalie was an Assistant Professor in the Neurogenetics Unit at NYU School of Medicine prior to joining Nanit. Natalie is also the voice of Nanit's science-backed, personalized sleep tips delivered to users throughout their baby's first few years.

Kristy Ojala is Nanit’s Digital Content Director. She spends way too much time looking at maps and weather forecasts and pictures of Devon Rex cats and no-cook dinners. A former sleep champion, she strives to share trustworthy somnabulism tips with other parents—praying for that one fine day when no tiny humans wake her up while it’s still dark out. Her kids highly recommend 3 books, approximately 600 stuffies, Chopin’s “Nocturnes,” and the Nanit Sound + Light for bedtime success.

Mackenzie Sangster is on the Brand and Community team at Nanit. She supports content development and editing for Nanit’s Parent Confidently blog as well as other marketing initiatives. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her friends, cooking, being active, and using the Pro + Flex Duo to keep an eye on her fur-baby, Poppy!

Holly Hays is a contributor and writer for Nanit, channeling her years as a mama and former magazine editor to create fun, useful content for fellow busy, trying-to-do-their-best parents and caregivers. Holly has written for a wide range of brands and media outlets (Ergobaby, HGTV, Manhattan Toy Company, OXO), loves to cook and read mystery novels, and leans heavily on her two daughters to keep her up to date on all the latest slang.

Nanit is dedicated to delivering high-quality, reliable content for our readers. Our Parent Confidently articles are crafted by experienced parenting contributors and are firmly rooted in data and research. To ensure the accuracy and relevance of the content, all articles undergo a rigorous review process by our team of parenting experts. Additionally, our wellness-related content receives further scrutiny from Nanit Lab, our think tank of scientists, engineers, physicians, academic experts, and thought leaders.

Our primary objective is to furnish readers with the most current, trustworthy, and actionable information concerning a host of parenting topics. We strive to empower our readers to make informed decisions by offering comprehensive and respected insights.

In pursuit of transparency and credibility, our articles incorporate credible third-party sources, peer-reviewed studies, and abstracts. These sources are directly linked within the text or provided at the bottom of the articles to grant readers easy access to the source material.

CONTRIBUTORS

Natalie Barnett, PhD serves as VP of Clinical Research at Nanit. Natalie initiated sleep research collaborations at Nanit and in her current role, Natalie oversees collaborations with researchers at hospitals and universities around the world who use the Nanit camera to better understand pediatric sleep and leads the internal sleep and development research programs at Nanit. Natalie holds a Ph.D. in Genetics from the University of New England in Australia and a Postgraduate Certificate in Pediatric Sleep Science from the University of Western Australia. Natalie was an Assistant Professor in the Neurogenetics Unit at NYU School of Medicine prior to joining Nanit. Natalie is also the voice of Nanit's science-backed, personalized sleep tips delivered to users throughout their baby's first few years.

Kristy Ojala is Nanit’s Digital Content Director. She spends way too much time looking at maps and weather forecasts and pictures of Devon Rex cats and no-cook dinners. A former sleep champion, she strives to share trustworthy somnabulism tips with other parents—praying for that one fine day when no tiny humans wake her up while it’s still dark out. Her kids highly recommend 3 books, approximately 600 stuffies, Chopin’s “Nocturnes,” and the Nanit Sound + Light for bedtime success.

Mackenzie Sangster is on the Brand and Community team at Nanit. She supports content development and editing for Nanit’s Parent Confidently blog as well as other marketing initiatives. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her friends, cooking, being active, and using the Pro + Flex Duo to keep an eye on her fur-baby, Poppy!