The Development of Circadian Rhythms in Human Infants

again pointing to temperature maturation being a potential pivotal event. This
observation may provide a scientific basis to the anecdotes from many mothers that
their babies are „different‟ and sleep better once their temperature rhythm is achieved.
In this study there was an increase in night time melatonin with age. In addition
infant sleep „improved.‟ These changes along with others described in this study may
reflect a universal developmental process, which culminates with possibly the single
most significant event for the parents at this time– the baby sleeping through the
night! This biological and social experience for the infant, the acquisition of a normal
sleep pattern or „knowing the difference between day and night‟ – as mothers put it,
may symbolise an actual consolidation of different physiological systems within the
body which are unseen to the naked eye (Glotzbach et al., 1994, Weinert et al., 1994,
Claustrat et al., 2005, Rivkees, 2003) It may denote a possible conferring of full
stability to the infant‟s physiology by achievement of temperature maturation. A
disruption of infant sleep may be a marker of a deeper disruption within the body or
on the other hand disrupting infant sleep may in turn disturb physiology. This can be
turned on its head – promoting infant sleep and the acquisition of „sleeping through
the night‟ with or without the use of melatonin possibly could advance or stabilise
physiology and decrease inherent susceptibility.
Sleep consolidation, maybe an external feature, which is visible to carer and
researcher, of the consolidation of several internal physiological parameters.
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