Sleep Regression  or  Sleep Disturbance: Are they Different?

By Sleep Training Kids 

Sleep Regression vs Sleep Disturbance?

Sleep regression is for a negative change in a baby’s sleep.

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Sleep disturbances are medically diagnosed disorders related to all aspects of sleep.

How Sleep Regression Could Be A  Sleep Disturbance

We've prepared categories that focus on how sleep regressions could fit into the whole umbrella of sleep disturbances.

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Disorders of Initiating and Maintaining Sleep (DIMS)

Babies may have a harder falling asleep.

Children may only be getting a fraction of their usual amount of sleep.

Kids are experiencing a disturbed sleep pattern.

This may also be classified as transient or persistent.

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Of all of the categories, this one has the least amount of overlap. Even so, during a sleep regression:

Babies experience frequent night wakings.

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Disorders of Excessive Somnolence

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Disorders of Sleep-Wake Schedules

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This group of disorders may not be the strongest fit, either. However, let’s look at the first aspect of this again.

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No sync between sleep-wake schedule and real-life work

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Disorders Associated with Sleep, Sleep Stages, or Partial Arousals

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Babies going through developmental leaps

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Children experiencing a normal development of separation anxiety

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Children and nightmares make for a long, difficult night

Sleep regressions and sleep disturbances won’t be the same sooner.

Will Sleep Regression Become Sleep Disturbance?

Medical studies may catch up to the already-accepted public vernacular – at least as related to sleep regressions, sleep disorders, and sleep disturbances.