This may seem strange to you, but it’s perfectly normal. Some babies and adults sleep with their eyes slightly open. Medically, sleeping with your eyes open is harmless, quite common among infants, and does not indicate that your child has a sleep problem.
No one knows exactly why some babies sleep with their eyes open. Although there is not much research on this topic, doctors say it may be due to babies spending too much time in deep sleep.
The deep sleep phase in which babies sleep with their eyes open is an active sleep cycle, and babies spend about 50percent of their total sleep time in REM sleep more than adults. However, if your baby’s sleeping condition bothers you, you can close the eyelids slowly.
You can consult your child’s doctor if your child dries or irritates his/her eyes because he/she sleeps with his/her eyes open for hours. In very rare cases, discomfort of the eyelids can prevent their normal closure. But if this is not the case, there is no need to worry about this.
In the meantime, there is some evidence to suggest that sleeping with your eyes open is hereditary. If you notice your child sleeping with a blank, absent-minded look, ask your partner if you’ve ever slept with your eyes open.