Sleep deprivation practically goes hand in hand with new parenthood; newborn babies eat every two to three hours around the clock, and while they sleep a lot\u201414 to 17 hours a day\u2014that sleep doesn\u2019t usually come in long stretches or when you need it: at night. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It also takes months for infants to start secreting the sleep hormone melatonin<\/a>, which means, well, months of nighttime meetings for babies and their caregivers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet, while early parenthood is often tiring, too often, the impacts of this sleep deprivation<\/a> are minimized by society, or worse, laughed about (see: jokes about parents with their cold coffee or memes about tired moms). <\/p>\n\n\n\n The US also lacks major structural support systems for new parents<\/a>, which would help them get the breaks they need. Parents in the US, for example, are often required to return to work long before their babies are \u201csleeping through the night,\u201d increasing the already high demands of new parenthood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But sleep deprivation is no joke. In fact, it’s a large independent risk factor for\u00a0perinatal mental health conditions<\/a>\u00a0such as postpartum depression (PPD) and postpartum anxiety (PPA).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleep deprivation is a large independent risk factor for\u00a0perinatal mental health conditions\u00a0such as postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Perinatal mental health conditions have a slew of risk factors, including a personal or family history of mental health conditions, stress, a lack of support, and past trauma; sleep deprivation is just one. But sleep allows the body and mind to heal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One study<\/a> in The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine <\/em>found that poor sleep quality in the early postpartum months was a predictor of the development of later PPD. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some are more vulnerable to mental health conditions postpartum than others (read: just because you\u2019re sleep deprived doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019ll get PPA or PPD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s important to realize that a lack of sleep can profoundly impact your mental and emotional health, general mood, and well-being in new parenthood\u2014because knowing this can help you properly plan support around sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After all, support throughout the postpartum months is a protective factor against perinatal mental health conditions. With the suggestions below, you can work to safeguard your sleep and, in turn, help yourself feel better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adequate sleep is one of many factors that can help lower the risk of a perinatal mental health condition, but “adequate sleep” isn\u2019t always readily available in new parenthood.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n After all, it\u2019s biologically and developmentally normal and appropriate for babies to wake and feed in the middle of the night. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That said, there are ways to plan for increased support\u2014and you can start doing this in pregnancy. Think about things like who you may be able to lean on to get a little bit of extra sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you ask a friend to help with the baby during the day here and there so you can sleep a few hours? Can you hire a doula or an overnight nurse? If you’re pumping breastmilk or bottle feeding, can you split the night with a partner? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Having sleep support systems in place can help you get the rest and recovery you need. You can even build in space for this on a registry, asking friends and family to contribute funds toward sleep support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To feel your best emotionally, your body and brain need long chunks of sleep (which is exactly what new parents don\u2019t get). <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnchor sleep\u201d is\u2014ideally\u2014a four-hour chunk of sleep at one time (day or night). Even if your anchor sleep chunk is less than four hours (and early on, it will be!), one solid stretch of sleep during the day or night is helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes, when you put pressure on yourself to sleep, the opposite happens: You have difficulty falling asleep. When you’re desperate for sleep and finally get the chance to sleep, the pressure can be high. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Remove it by simply aiming to rest. While it\u2019s not sleep, rest can be restorative. Consider a restorative practice like yoga nidra<\/a> (yogic sleep or psychic sleep), which involves lying on your back and listening to guided imagery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can find videos of it on YouTube for free. Yoga nidra has been shown to\u00a0reduce stress and anxiety<\/a>\u00a0and could even\u00a0help release melatonin<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
How to protect your maternal mental health and sleep<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Actively seek support around sleep<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Aim for anchor sleep<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Simply try to rest<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n