Breastfeeding May Help Infants Achieve Adequate Sleep

A nationwide birth cohort found lower odds of short sleep at 1 year among infants breastfed during the first 6 months of life, regardless of formula supplementation.

By
Andrea Surnit
July 15, 2026
3 min

MDSpire News

Overview

A recent study suggests that breastfeeding during the first 6 months is associated with lower odds of short sleep duration in 1-year-old infants. The analysis of 82,918 mother-infant pairs indicates that exclusive breastfeeding is associated with the lowest odds of short sleep.

Background

Breastfeeding is linked to numerous health benefits for both infants and mothers, including reduced risks of various diseases and improved cognitive development. Understanding the impact of breastfeeding on sleep duration is crucial, as sleep issues are common among young children.

Data Highlights

Feeding Type	Short Sleep Prevalence (%)	Odds Ratio (95% CI)
Exclusive Formula Feeding	12.2	1.00
Breastfed < 6 months	10.2	0.84 (0.73–0.97)
Mixed Breastmilk/Formula for 6 months	9.7	0.79 (0.69–0.91)
Exclusive Breastfeeding for 6 months	8.8	0.77 (0.67–0.89)

Key Findings

Short sleep duration was reported in 12% of infants exclusively formula-fed for 6 months.
Only 9% of infants exclusively breastfed for 6 months experienced short sleep duration.
Breastfeeding for less than 6 months was associated with 16% lower odds of short sleep.
Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months was associated with 23% lower odds of short sleep compared to exclusive formula feeding.
Potential mechanisms for the association include differences in melatonin and tryptophan concentrations.
The study's observational nature limits the ability to establish causality.

Clinical Implications

Further research is necessary to explore the relationship between breastfeeding and infant sleep.

Conclusion

The study indicates that breastfeeding during the first 6 months is associated with reduced odds of short sleep duration in infants at 1 year of age. Additional research is warranted to clarify this relationship.