The sleep-wake behavior of a boy was investigated from 5 weeks up to f
our years of age. The protocol consisted of recording waking and sleep
states by direct observation by his mother and eventually by the hous
emaid. Data were divided in 7-day segments and these segments were the
n divided in 10-minute binary information about asleep or awake. Fast
Fourier Transform (FFT) was applied to obtain the frequency spectrum f
or each 7-day epoch, and the results were submitted to statistical tes
t for the identification of significant component frequencies. Data we
re also divided in 21-day epochs and 30-minute windows in order to det
ect infradian periodicities. Overall rhythmicity increased during the
four years with the circadian component as the major contribution afte
r the fifth week of life. The semicircadian and the 8-hour components
had maximum contributions during the second and third years, and the 6
-, 5- and 4-hour components during the first year. After the beginning
of his attendance to school, the boy showed a decrease of the semicir
cadian component, explained by the absence of an afternoon nap and an
increase of the circadian component. Infradian periodicities were not
found during the whole four years.