A cross-sectional study on the relationship between infant sleep, temperament, and bedtime practices

Abstract

Study Objectives: We explored the interplay between infant temperament, sleep characteristics, and bedtime practices. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving a large sample of infants 9–13 months of age (n = 623). Sleep data were collected through auto-videosomnography, allowing for objective, noninvasive assessment of sleep in an infant’s ecological environment. Infant temperament and bedtime practices were assessed with questionnaires completed by parents. Results: Results revealed significant correlations between negative affectivity and disrupted sleep patterns, including shorter sleep duration, more night awakenings, and increased parental interventions. Infants falling asleep while being breast/bottle feeding or while being held/rocked had shorter nocturnal sleep duration, lower sleep efficiency, later bedtime, earlier wake-up time, and more parental interventions. Regression analyses indicated that bedtime practices accounted for a substantial portion of variance in sleep metrics, emphasizing their role in influencing infants’ sleep. Conclusions: The study highlights the intricate interconnections between infants’ temperament, sleep, and caregiving practices, emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of individual differences to tailor effective parenting strategies for promoting healthy sleep in infants.