Babies Who Don't Sleep Well May Need More Physical Activity, Study Finds

BOSTON (CBS) - Is your baby up all night? Researchers from Michigan State University say they may not be getting enough physical activity.

Studies have shown that physical activity and sleep quality are related in older kids and adults, but this is one of the first studies to show that the association could begin in infancy.

Researchers analyzed the sleep and physical activity levels of 22 healthy infants and found that the babies who slept less than 12 hours in a 24-hour period, including naps, had more overnight feedings and were significantly less active during the day than babies who got more overall sleep. They also tended to weigh more.

Parents are advised to try to stick to a bedtime routine for their infants and to encourage more supervised tummy time during the day, which allows a baby to move and build motor skills.