Sleep, mood, and development in infants

•Infant sleep patterns are associated with parental ratings of infant mood, especially morning mood.•Sleep problems are also associated with infant mood.•No relationship was found between sleep and global developmental outcomes.

BackgroundThe aim of the study was to assess the relationship of sleep with mood and development in infancy.MethodsMothers of 1351 mothers of infants (ages 3–13 months) in Brazil completed an internet-based expanded version of the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire and the Ages & Stages Questionnaire.ResultsOverall, there were associations among parental ratings of infants’ bedtime, morning, and daytime mood with sleep outcomes, especially sleep fragmentation, duration of nighttime sleep, and parental perception of sleep problems. There were no relationships between any sleep variables and developmental outcomes, including communication, fine and gross motor skills, problem-solving, and personal social relationships.ConclusionsOverall, these results indicate that sleep patterns and sleep problems during infancy are associated with parental ratings of infant mood but not more global developmental outcomes.