Sleep Tips
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During your pregnancy and shortly after your child’s birth, there are many anecdotes, words of wisdom, and advice regarding your future as it comes to sleep. Or really, lack thereof. “Enjoy the sleep while you can!” “You can sleep when they move out of the house!” “Sleep when the baby sleeps.” Sounds familiar? Many new parents hear these examples and more, and unfortunately, they can end up feeling the unsettling weight of those words if they experience consistent sleep deprivation before and after the birth of their child. While many of those sentiments are imparted with a smile and perhaps a laugh, not getting enough sleep is no laughing matter. Parents who experience chronic sleep deprivation, meaning they are getting less sleep than the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep a night over a period of at least a week, are more likely to experience postpartum depression, whether it is clinically diagnosed, or attributed to the popular term: “baby blues”. Living Life Sleep DeprivedChronic sleep deprivation can negatively impact you in several ways. It can negatively impact your mood and cognitive abilities. Many people seem more accepting of the mood swings of the newly postpartum mothers due to the huge influx of hormones that get released after the birth of their child. Additionally, the stresses of raising young children are oftentimes celebrated and touted as signs of solidarity among parents, but many studies show that moms whose babies have sleep problems are at greater risk for postpartum depression. In studies that have given parents advice in managing their baby’s sleep, which resulted in improved sleep for the baby, maternal mood improves as well. The effects of sleep deprivation in relation to your cognitive skills is significant. In fact, one study found that two weeks of six hours of sleep per night caused declines in many cognitive measures – similar to those found after a full 24-48 hours of sleep deprivation. What’s really worrisome is that the six-hour sleepers had no idea how impaired they were; they rated their sleepiness as only mild, but their test performance showed otherwise. Another study found that cognitive performance of people who had been awake for 18-19 hours was comparable to those with blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.10 (the legal limit for driving in most U.S. states is 0.08). It is estimated that 15-33% of fatal car crashes are related to driver fatigue. Make Sleep a PrioritySince many parents, newly minted or veterans to the game, take sleep deprivation to be just another part of parenting, it isn’t so far-fetched to believe that they would rank their overall tiredness as mild and just part of being a parent. After all, raising children is a tiring and endless job. However, it’s very important to make getting enough sleep a top priority. Here are three tips to help ensure that you (and your child) can get more restorative sleep to keep you on the top of your game in the crazy world of parenting.
Sleep is such a crucial part of your mental and physical health, and it can be easily overlooked or viewed as a luxury in today’s world. However, sleep is a biological necessity and should be a top priority for parents with babies and young children. Getting plenty of sleep positively impacts physical growth in children, cognitive development AND abilities, and mental health. As trite as it sounds, sleep deprivation is not something to take lightly and can have a serious impact on yours and your child’s well-being. Taking steps to ensure that your child gets enough sleep will also work in your favor in your quest in taking care of yourself as you take care of your family. If you are concerned that you may be dealing with postpartum depression or anxiety, you need to speak with your doctor as soon as possible to get the help and treatment that you need. If you are not sure if you are experiencing postpartum depression or anxiety and would like more information about the symptoms and signs, please check out PPD Moms and get all the information and resources you need. |
featured on:Sleeping LittlesI am a Pediatric Sleep Consultant who works with families to help them resolve their littles' sleep issues. As a mom of two littles herself, Katie has walked in the shoes of her clients and is passionate about helping them re-discover peaceful sleeps in their own homes. Categories
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November 2021
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