When awake, it is usual for infants to smile or chuckle. But, they also grin when they sleep. If you recently gave birth to your child and observed him sleeping for hours, you must have noticed a twitch or grin on his face, and it must have been a lovely sight. As a new parent, you eagerly anticipate your child's first grin. One day, you are pleasantly pleased to discover the infant smiling while sleeping. But why does a sleeping infant smile?
Why does a sleeping infant smile? Infants grin and sometimes even laugh in their sleep due to sF functions, as a result of Fstt f us t s ts during the eye t (REM) stage of sleep, the period during which we dream. The infant's smile is an effect of the dream. As infants cannot communicate their thoughts, it is practically impossible to determine the dream's substance. Nonetheless, the smile is most likely a reaction to an event in a dream. Infants may also grin when they are falling asleep or waking up, which may be a response to the pleasant or positive emotions they are experiencing at the time. Babies employ a grin as a means of communication. Hence, a baby may grin if they dream about a parent or caregiver, a favorite toy or pet, and smile in reaction to the positive emotions evoked by the image.
How can sleep influence a child's smile?
To comprehend why newborns grin when sleeping, one must comprehend sleep and its stages. Non-rapid Eye Movement (NREM) and Rapid Eye Movement (REM) are the two fundamental stages of sleep (REM).
Infants begin sleep with the non-REM phase, which consists of four stages:
NREM 1: The infant's eyelids begin to droop and may open and shut while napping.
This is the second stage of non-rapid eye movement sleep, during which the infant is just lightly sleeping and will awaken to sounds and other disturbances.
This is the deepest stage of NREM sleep, during which the infant remains calm and immobile.
NREM 4 is the deepest stage of NREM sleep, during which the infant remains motionless unless roused by a loud noise.
The first phases of a baby's grin
0-6 Weeks: Reflexive Smile: You will notice your infant's first smile when they are napping. You will notice them saying tt, stt, su – is it a smile? During rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, your baby's body undergoes s changes that tt t Fxs, F ts s s. At this point in time, it is only a matter of time, i.e., it's already the present.
6-8 Weeks: Responsive Smile: As your infant matures, they will begin to grin in response to stimuli such as cuddling, noises, and faces. Their grin is not a social response but rather a reaction to sensory inputs. Yet, you might attempt to induce a grin. You will discover which sounds and facial gestures elicit a response. Let your infant many opportunity to observe your face while you speak softly to them. If you mimic their facial expressions, they may begin to mimic yours.
1-2 Months: Social Smile: Until now, your baby's grins have been internal responses to items that capture his interest. No longer: at this point, they desire connection. Your infant will grin when they see you and respond when you make s noises; they will also learn that they may elicit a response from you by smiling as well as by wailing.
