Real Benefits of Sleep Training
You probably can guess the main benefit of sleep training: more sleep!
Sleep training has so many other benefits too… yep, even when you’re an attachment parent! It teaches your baby healthy sleep habits, so they fall asleep faster, stay sleeping longer, and can get themselves back to sleep if they wake up in the middle of the night.
But the positive benefits of sleep training go far beyond bedtime – for both baby and you! Getting good, uninterrupted sleep is crucial for a baby’s development. Read on to learn more about sleep training, and how it’s helping your little one grow, learn, and thrive!
What is sleep training?
Essentially, sleep training is teaching your baby to fall asleep on their own – without help from you. This means baby can fall asleep without needing to be rocked, fed, or a specific sleep aid.
Ending the ‘Robot Theory’
So many people think that sleep training means not responding to your baby and treating them like “robots.”
You’d be surprised how many people think that sleep training means treating their baby like a robot… and they couldn’t be more wrong!
They equate sleep training with leaving your baby to cry (aka cry-it-out) and not acknowledging baby’s feelings and need for support.
But what they don’t get is that sleep training (when done right) is actually all about acknowledging your baby’s needs and providing comfort and support. It’s not about NOT responding to your baby during the process.
There are so many other methods to sleep training besides cry-it-out. And NONE of them treat babies like robots. They need help regulating their sleep, and we get to be the ones to support them and guide them.
Sleep Training Benefits
Babies who sleep well, nap regularly, and have early bedtimes are better emotionally adjusted and have reduced risk for health problems down the road. And BTW, parents who sleep train their littles tend to be happier and healthier too. Here are 8 other benefits:
It promotes bonding
Honestly, this is one of my favorite benefits! When both parents and baby are well-rested, parent-child bonding may be easier and stronger. Secure attachment between babies and parents develops because your little can safely depend on you as you help them grow and learn.
Baby learns to self soothe
Sleep training can help babies learn how to soothe themselves and cope with distress. If you want your little to be able to fall asleep without hours of helping ways (the only way they can fall asleep), this is a skill they will eventually need to learn.
They’ll fall asleep quicker
Sleep training helps your little make associations between bedtime routines and sleep. That means baby will start to anticipate sleep… and they’ll end up falling asleep faster at night and for naps. Babies thrive on routine. It’s their sense of structure and security that sleep is around the corner.
They’ll wake up less at night
All people (babies and adults) wake throughout the night as they transition between sleep cycles. With babies, this happens about every 45 minutes. Sleep training teaches baby to be a strong independent sleeper, so they can put themselves back to sleep if and when these little wakings happen between cycles.
They’ll sleep longer
Sleep training means getting your baby on a biologically and developmentally appropriate routine. You won’t have to worry about them waking up too early, fighting sleep well into the night, or having long wake windows when they do wake up at night… all of this means they’ll sleep longer and get more restful sleep!
It promotes healthy growth and development
Sleep also helps with baby’s development and growing a healthy body. It also improves their immune system, so they’ll be healthier as they grow.
It improves baby’s learning skills
Better sleep allows baby’s brain to recharge, so they can actively learn and explore the world around them when it’s awake time. Sleep provides babies time for neural maturation, gives them time for memory consolidation, and the ability to process sensory stimuli. (Plus, if healthy sleep habits aren’t in place early, their lack of healthy sleep could continue as they grow, and several studies have shown that lack of sleep for kiddos can lead to worse performance in school, hindering their learning.)
It improves baby’s mood
Babies who get healthy sleep are typically happier and friendlier during wake times. (You probably know what it’s like to have a cranky baby on your hands because they didn’t get enough sleep, right?)
Sleep benefits for you too!
Better sleep for baby means better sleep for you and your family too!
Better mood
As with babies, being tired can make you cranky. The more rest you get, the better your mood will get. More sleep may also help with PPD too.
More you time
When your baby sleeps more, and sleeps independently, you won’t have to be right at their side throughout the night for every waking. That means you get more time to yourself – to sleep, to catch up on your favorite TV show, to get things done around the house, to hang with your partner…
More control
A perk with sleep training is that baby’s sleep becomes more predictable, so you have more control over your day and know when sleep will take place and know when you can run those errands too..
Safer parenting
Sleepiness can lead to clumsiness and/or slower reflexes. So when you're better rested, you’re a safer, more alert parent.
Better parenting
With more sleep, you’ll also be more patient, attentive, and fun. You’ll also have more confidence in your parenting (lack of sleep can lead to second-guessing your parenting choices). Everybody wins!
When you’re ready to start your sleep training journey, we can help! Join our Healthy Little Sleeper’s Blueprint and get personalized support and guidance for where your baby’s at now – plus get access to our amazing consultants and an awesome community! All these healthy sleep benefits are just a click away – learn more and get your Blueprint here