Why Sleeping Through the Night is a Social Construct: The Reality of Human Sleep Patterns

When it comes to sleep, there’s a pervasive belief that a full night’s rest means sleeping straight through from bedtime until morning without interruption. This idea is often held up as the gold standard of healthy sleep, particularly for infants and young children. However, the truth is that humans don’t naturally sleep through the night in a single, uninterrupted block of time. This expectation is more a social construct than a biological norm, and understanding this can help shift perspectives on sleep, especially when working with new parents.

The Myth of "Sleeping Through the Night"

The notion that sleeping through the night is the ideal, or even natural, sleep pattern has deep roots in modern society. It’s often tied to cultural expectations of productivity, convenience, and the need to align sleep with the demands of work schedules. But if we look back at how our ancestors slept, as well as how sleep functions in many non-Western cultures today, a different picture emerges.

Historically, humans practiced what’s known as “biphasic” or “polyphasic” sleep. In a biphasic pattern, sleep is divided into two segments—often with a period of wakefulness in the middle of the night, sometimes called the "first" and "second" sleep. During this waking period, people would engage in quiet activities, such as reading, meditating, or even socializing, before returning to sleep. Polyphasic sleep involves multiple sleep phases throughout a 24-hour period, often seen in cultures where napping is a regular part of daily life.

These segmented sleep patterns are more in tune with our natural circadian rhythms, which include periods of light sleep and wakefulness. The idea that we should sleep for a continuous eight hours is largely a result of industrialization, which required a more regimented approach to time and productivity.

The Reality of Human Sleep Patterns

Sleep studies show that even in modern times, many people wake up briefly during the night without even realizing it. These natural wake-ups are typically brief and occur during transitions between different sleep cycles. For infants and young children, these awakenings are even more common, as their sleep cycles are shorter and their sleep architecture is still developing.

Biologically, it’s normal for humans to experience these wakeful periods. Infants, in particular, are wired to wake frequently during the night as a survival mechanism. Their small stomachs require frequent feeding, and their lighter sleep stages help protect against risks like SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) by allowing them to rouse more easily.

This understanding of sleep as a dynamic process with natural interruptions can help postpartum professionals and parents alike adjust their expectations. Instead of viewing nighttime wakefulness as a problem to be solved, it can be seen as a normal part of human sleep that is actually protective.

Social Constructs and the Pressure to Sleep Through the Night

The pressure to have infants and children sleep through the night is often driven by societal expectations rather than biological needs. Parents may feel stressed or inadequate if their child doesn’t sleep in a way that aligns with these norms, leading to the pursuit of sleep training methods that promise uninterrupted sleep.

However, by reframing our understanding of sleep, we can approach these issues with more compassion and realism. For example, recognizing that it’s natural for infants to wake frequently can help reduce the stigma around night waking and support parents in finding rhythms that work for their unique family dynamics.

For postpartum professionals, it’s essential to communicate this reality to parents, helping them understand that their child’s sleep patterns are not only normal but also healthy. This perspective can alleviate some of the pressures parents feel and encourage a more flexible, responsive approach to nighttime care.

Embracing a More Natural Approach to Sleep

Rather than striving for an uninterrupted night’s sleep, it may be more helpful to focus on the quality of sleep and how well-rested both the baby and parents feel overall. This includes understanding and accepting that night wakings are a natural part of sleep, rather than a sign of poor sleep hygiene or an underlying problem.

For some families, embracing a more natural sleep pattern might mean incorporating naps during the day, adjusting bedtime routines to accommodate wakeful periods, or creating a shared sleep environment that allows for more restful sleep for everyone involved.

In Conclusion

The expectation that humans should sleep through the night is a relatively recent social construct, not a biological necessity. Understanding the natural rhythms of sleep can help parents and professionals approach infant sleep with more patience, flexibility, and a greater appreciation for what is truly normal. By shifting the focus from achieving uninterrupted sleep to fostering healthy sleep patterns, we can better support the well-being of both children and their parents.