A good night’s sleep is vital for our health, but our needs change throughout our lives. Experts reveal how to maximise the benefits for everyone
The fundamental purpose of sleep is to “service” our brains so they’re in good working order for the gargantuan tasks we require of them: so it makes perfect sense that babies – whose brains are doing the most demanding work a human brain will ever do – need a lot of sleep. Newborns tend to spend more time asleep than awake (as much as 18 hours in 24), but all babies are different – and their needs change all the time – so don’t worry too much about their sleeping patterns. “The rule of thumb is so long as they’re alert and happy when they’re awake, then they’re getting enough sleep,” says Professor Helen Ball, director of the Durham Infancy & Sleep Centre.
