Adult rocker ride

Rocking babies to sleep—to both quiet the wails of youth and preserve the sanity of young parents—has been commonplace dating back to prehistory. Similarly, rhythmic motions like the muted clank of a train ride coax many of us adults into an instant slumber—but why? Two new studies published today in Current Biology suggest our brains are evolutionarily programmed to respond to rocking. The research shows in both humans and mice, rocking to sleep may have significant health benefits such as better quality of sleep and even improved long-term memory formation.

The act of rocking a baby is more than just a feel-good bonding moment. The gentle swaying motion soothes a child and brings on sleep. Many parents remark that their children fall asleep during car rides. Find out more by checking out some recent studies on rocking. Have you ever wondered why so many children fall asleep while riding in a vehicle?

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