Why “Mom Brain” Is a Real Thing (It’s Science)

Did you know that babies have 5 times as much REM sleep as adults?

A young infant’s sleep cycle (which can last approximately 50 minutes long) is made up of two stages: quiet sleep and active (REM!) sleep. Quiet sleep is when they are in that really deep, zonked out sleep where you can carry them through a loud restaurant and they don’t even move a muscle.

The active REM sleep often appears to parents like the baby is waking, because they grunt and wiggle and their eyelids flutter.

However, REM sleep is when our bodies file and store information received during the day as memories. And babies have so much more to learn and remember! Such as:

The faces of their family members
The voices of their family members, when they are soft or loud
Scents of food, milk, clothes, bodies
Textures & sensations
Routines & patterns
Lights & motions
Colors & shapes

Wow!!

Now let’s contrast that with how we sleep as adults. Adult sleep cycles last 90 minutes and are made up of 5 stages. REM is the last one, and we rarely make it that long before the baby wakes or needs something. If you have a baby who isn’t the best sleeper, can you even remember the last time you slept at least 90 minutes uninterrupted at one time?

This is why parents often feel like they are going crazy or have short-term memory loss.

Yes, “mom-brain” is science! 🧠

Have you ever had a really wild mom-brain moment? (I forgot my own phone number 🤦🏻‍♀️)

Do you need some assistance with your child’s sleeping habits? Schedule a free 15-minute discovery call to discuss our sleep coaching programs and see if they are right for your family.