A comparative study of quiet sleep, active sleep, and waking on the first 2 days of life

Direct behavioral observation and motility monitoring procedures provide re liable data, and both are appropriate for sleep/wake state measurements sta rting immediately after birth. Using these procedures, newborn rats, rabbit s, and humans were found to have a greater amount of quiet sleep on the day of birth rather than 24 hr Inter. Changes in active sleep and wake were in consistent across the 2 days. The quiet sleep findings are contrary to the developmental course which increases with age. The findings are interpreted as a temporary adaptive response to the stress of the birth process. (C) 1 999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.