Why do we say ‘sleep like a baby’ when babies wake up every few hours crying?
Introduction
You know, it’s funny how language can throw you a curveball. We’ve all heard the phrase “sleep like a baby,” right? But if you’ve ever had a baby, or been around one for more than ten minutes, you know that it’s a bit of an ironic statement. Babies, bless their tiny, adorable hearts, don’t sleep like angels. Instead, they seem to have a knack for waking up every few hours, crying as if they’ve just realized they’re not the center of the universe. So, why on earth do we say they “sleep like a baby” when, in reality, they’re the exact opposite of a restful night’s sleep?
The Origins of the Phrase
To uncover the origins of this perplexing phrase, we have to dig a little deeper. The saying “sleep like a baby” dates back to a time when people might not have fully understood the intricacies of infant sleep patterns. You see, it’s not about the duration of the sleep; it’s about the quality of that sleep. Babies are known for having the kind of deep, uninterrupted sleep that many adults can only dream of. This is because their sleep cycles are shorter, and they spend more time in the rapid eye movement (REM) phase, which is when dreams occur and the brain gets a good workout.
