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

We explored the interplay between infant temperament, sleep characteristics, and bedtime practices.

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 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.

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.

Breda M, Lucchini M, Barnett N, Bruni O. A cross-sectional study on the relationship between infant sleep, temperament, and bedtime practices. J Clin Sleep Med. 2024;20(12):1965–1974.