One of the things I've learned since becoming a mom is that kids can be creepy. If you've ever woken up in the middle of the night to see a tiny dark silhouette standing in your room staring at you, then you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. It's frightening to the point of feeling full regret over every scary movie you've ever seen. And have you ever seen a baby sleep with their eyes open? Yeah, zombie baby is a thing. So, if you're wondering why your baby sleeps with their eyes half open, I get it. You need an explanation, because it's slightly terrifying.
The first time I saw my son sleep with his eyes partially open, I couldn't help but stare. He looked weird — like a tiny little zombie baby. He was a good sleeper and did spend a lot of time sleeping with his eyes open like that, so I don't think I ever mentioned it to his pediatrician, but it looked creepy. Not to worry though — apparently this phenomenon is very common and in most cases, completely harmless. I checked in with pediatrician, CEO of Happiest Baby, and the creator of SNOO Smart Sleeper Dr. Harvey Karp, and certified sleep coach and founder of Tuck.com Bill Fish just to make sure.
Dr. Karp explains to Romper in an email, "When we sleep, we still use our muscles. Babies startle, roll, groan, and some even open their eyes while they are still asleep. Older babies can even have night terrors, which is a scary occurrence we see in preschoolers and elementary aged children. They may be screaming with their eyes fully open, but still totally asleep," which sounds completely terrifying.
Fish also tells Romper that while looking down at your baby sleeping with their eyes open might be startling, "it is completely natural for infants to sleep this way. Babies tend to sleep with their eyes open when they are in REM sleep, and babies are in REM sleep far more than adults in a normal sleep cycle." So while it's creepy to look at, being in REM sleep is exactly where you want your baby to be when they're taking a nap. In fact, an article on the First Cry Parenting website confirmed this and explained, "research suggests that this mode of sleeping is during the active phase of the sleep cycle, known as Rapid Eye Movement or REM. Newborn sleep consists of longer periods of REM than adults, making up over half of their entire sleep time. As they grow older, their sleeping patterns become more like adults, meaning they wake up less during the night and are less fussy during nap time."
If you're still wondering why this happens though, the same article breaks it down and explained that babies actually sleep with their eyes partly open for two reasons: genetics and medical. Sleeping with your eyes open may be hereditary and "you can look into your and your spouse’s family history to ascertain if anyone else sleeps with their eyes open. If you, your spouse, or immediate family members share this trait, it is very likely your baby will too."
Medical reasons, while this sounds more alarming, can actually be due to something called "nocturnal lagophthalmos" which is quite "harmless and does not continue for more than a year to a year and a half," explained the article. But in rare cases, "it might be because of thyroid problems, damaged facial nerves or even some tumors. If you find that your baby is unable to sleep with their eyes closed for extended periods of time, please consult your doctor."
Fish also recommended that "if your child continues to sleep with their eyes open past 18 months of age, it would be recommended to bring up the situation to your pediatrician." But overall, babies sleeping with their eyes partially open is normal and harmless. Dr. Karp agrees and says that while this phenomenon is completely harmless, you may want to seek an expert opinion if your child is "tired all day, or often waking in need of parents' attention," otherwise, let your little one dream on, even if it does look a little creepy.
Published on March 28th, 2022
Check out SneakPeek Traits Test to discover your baby’s sleep behavior and required needs!
Imagine this—you tiptoe into your baby’s nursery late one night to check on her. The room is dark and quiet, save for the whir of the sound machine on the nightstand. You lean over the crib to find your sweet little darling sound asleep… with her eyes wide open. Like a tiny freakin’ zombie.
Until now, you thought your pregnancy mucus plug was the creepiest thing you’d see on this whole parenting journey. Well, friend, allow us to introduce you to some stiff competition to that—infant nocturnal lagophthalmos.
Before you rush to call Father Merrin, we can allay some of your fears immediately. Infants sleeping with their eyes wide open or slightly open during bedtime is totally normal and actually pretty common. Your young baby likely does not have a sleep disorder. Although nocturnal lagophthalmos is not a cause for concern (in most cases), understanding the why’s, when’s, and how’s will help you better understand your infant’s sleep habits and patterns. So, read on if you have a little zombie in your nursery.
What is infant nocturnal lagophthalmos?
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, lagophthalmos is the medical term for the incomplete or defective closure of the eyelids. When it occurs at night, it’s called nocturnal lagophthalmos. While lagophthalmos in adults bears investigation by a medical professional to rule out a causal medical condition, lagophthalmos in infants is almost always physiological (meaning it’s a normal process and there’s no underlying medical cause) and eventually outgrown, so those open eyes are usually nothing to be worried about.
Because infant physiological lagophthalmos is both a temporary and benign condition, research into its cause is relatively scant. There is some evidence that it may be:
Research has identified that physiological nocturnal lagophthalmos is connected to REM sleep. This means that when you see your baby sleeping with his eyes open, he’s most likely in the REM sleep phase. What does that mean?
What is REM sleep?
Humans cycle between two stages of sleep:
REM stands for rapid eye movement which is, quite literally, what’s happening during this sleep phase.
During REM sleep, the eyes move rapidly—up, down, and side to side—but don’t send any visual information to the brain. In most people, this action occurs behind closed lids. Dreams typically happen during this phase of sleep. While the eyes are active, the rest of the body is essentially paralyzed.
On the other hand, non-REM sleep (sometimes called NREM or non-rapid eye movement) refers to the stage of sleep that occurs between cycles of REM. Adults and babies over six months old experience three phases of NREM sleep, and they always occur in order:
- Phase 1 – The transition period from wakefulness to sleep, this phase is the first and lightest phase of sleep that lasts between 5 and 15 minutes. It’s usually very easy to wake a sleeper from this phase, and their muscles may randomly twitch during it. If your baby is twitching in sleep, this is most likely normal, too.
- Phase 2 – This phase is characterized by a slowing of the heart rate, lowering of body temperature, and production of sleep spindles (bursts of coherent activity) by the brain. Still considered a light sleep phase, this phase lasts between 15 and 25 minutes.
- Phase 3 – This is the deepest phase of sleep, when muscles are deeply relaxed and the breathing rate drops even further. It’s difficult to rouse a sleeper from this state—if they are awakened, they feel disoriented. It’s during this deep sleep phase that the body works to repair itself.
Although adults and babies over six months share the same four sleep phases, the amount of time spent in each phase changes drastically with age.
In adults, REM sleep follows the onset of NREM sleep and lasts approximately 10 minutes for the first sleep cycle, with each subsequent REM period lasting slightly longer. On average, adults spend about 20% of their total sleep time in REM sleep.
Babies, however, spend about 50% of their sleep time in REM sleep.
Why the big difference? What makes REM sleep (and its potential accompanying zombie goo-goo eyes) so important for babies?
The Importance of REM Sleep For Infants
REM sleep is very different from the other three phases of sleep. Not only is this stage associated with dreaming and muscle paralysis, but it’s also the stage in which the brain is most active. REM sleep stimulates the areas of the brain that work to:
- Learn skills
- Make neural connections
- Retain memories
Research has shown that REM sleep is the phase in which the sleeping brain actively converts waking experiences into lasting long-term memories. For a tiny baby who’s just encountering the world, this experience to memory pathway is critical. This means REM sleep is key to your baby’s ability to learn, process, and store important information.
Best Sleep Practices For Infants
So, let’s review: babies need lots of REM sleep time, but if your baby has nocturnal lagophthalmos, REM sleep time is also eyes-wide-open-at-night time. Where does that leave you as a parent? Frankly, in a support role, you’re now zombie support staff.
All jokes aside, whether you find your little one’s nocturnal lagophthalmos interesting, creepy, or somewhere in between, you can help her get the best quality sleep she can—eyes open or shut.
Tips for Creating A Snoozy Nursery
Good, quiet sleep begins in a smartly-curated nursery—one that ensures the best possible environment for a restful, REM-filled night.
Some basic supplies for a sleep-nurturing nursery are:
- Crib – A sturdy, versatile structure that supports a well-fitted infant mattress should be the primary element in your nursery. Avoid bumpers, loose blankets, and pillows until your child is physically capable of navigating them, generally after 1 year of age. For more detail, check out our guide on when can babies have a pillow, and when can babies sleep with a blanket.
- Crib sheets – A high-quality, well-fitted crib sheet will keep your baby comfortable while maintaining safety.
- Sleep sack – Consider dressing your little one in a sleep sack or swaddle to help keep him extra cozy. Don’t use loose blankets or comforters, as your baby could choke on or become tangled in them.
- Blackout curtains – Blackout curtains or room-darkening shades are important for when your little one is sleeping during bright daytime hours.
- White noise machine – Some babies respond well to the background din created by a white noise machine. In fact, the whooshing and whirring of white noise machines mimic the sounds your baby heard in mom’s womb, which can provide a sense of familiar comfort.
- Monitor – The benefit of a baby monitor is that you won’t have to step into the nursery to check on your little one and potentially stir him from sleep.
Tricks for Getting Into Good Sleep Habits
In addition to curating a healthy baby sleep environment, fostering healthy sleep habits can help your little one fall asleep easier and stay asleep longer. While creating and maintaining healthy sleep habits can be tricky, especially in those early months, the effort you put into creating a solid sleep bedtime routine now will pay you back tenfold as your baby grows.
Several tried-and-true sleep routine elements you can implement before nap and bedtime are:
- Giving your baby a warm bath
- Lightly massaging with lotion
- Reading or singing lullabies in a calm, low voice
- Rocking and cuddling
- Avoiding nighttime feeding
Nocturnal Lagophthalmos Support
If you’re still concerned about your baby’s tendency to sleep with eyes wide open, don’t hesitate to contact your pediatrician. While rare, there are some medical conditions, such as congenital eyelid abnormalities, that can be easily ruled out through examination.
In the meantime, if your baby sleeps with eyes open, and it continues to bother you, it’s perfectly safe and acceptable to use (sanitized) fingertips to gently push her eyelids down once she’s asleep.
You can also:
- Use a humidifier – If you’re worried that your sweet pea’s nocturnal lagophthalmos might be drying and irritating her eyes, place a humidifier in the nursery.
- Learn to love the zombie – Remember, this too shall pass. Research shows that most newborn babies outgrow their nocturnal lagophthalmos well before their first birthday.
Genotype Your Little Zombie With SneakPeek
Leaning down to check on your soundly sleeping newborn only to find his eyes wide open can be a shocking moment. Truth be told, it’s probably not the first or last shock of your parenting journey.
Fortunately, one thing that doesn’t have to be a shock is what traits your little cutie has locked into his DNA. With just a simple swab of your child’s mouth, the SneakPeek Early DNA Traits test provides you with accurate and reliable DNA-backed insights into a variety of physical, nutritional, and behavioral traits. Especially interesting for parents whose baby might be an eye-open snoozer are the sleep behavior traits, such as:
- Sleep chronotype
- Sleep duration
- Sleep efficiency
- Sleep latency
Along with your science-backed results, we’ll also include personalized parenting tips so you can better understand how to encourage the best sleep, diet, and future for your little one. And, since we privacy-protect both your data and results, you can continue to keep your little one safe.
Keep your eyes open—the answer to all your questions is SneakPeek.
Sources: