7 Ways to Manage New-Parent Sleep Deprivation
When you’re navigating the dynamic world of postpartum, getting seven hours of sleep a night seems absurd. That may be the recommended amount of shut-eye, but it’s a challenge for new parents. Between ensuring our newborns are getting the care they need and orienting home life around the newest family member, our sleep schedule understandably falls by the wayside. Let’s face it, a newborn’s sporadic sleep schedule means we’re often in survival mode.
But when does being a little tired cross the line into serious sleep deprivation territory? It’s important to know. Continuous inadequate sleep can impact your mental and physical health at the very time when baby needs you to stay on top of things. Remember, you can’t care for them if you’re not caring for yourself, too!
Here are the key signs of sleep deprivation to watch for and seven practical tips to better balance your and your newborn’s health.
- Excessive daytime sleepiness: It’s one thing to need an extra cup of coffee or two, but battling relentless fatigue daily can make you feel like a walking zombie. You’re zoned out and can’t shake the feeling that you’re on autopilot.
- Sleep tip: Share nighttime baby responsibilities with your partner, friend, or family member (diaper changes, feedings, etc.). Consider going in shifts of 9 pm to 1 am and 1 am to 6 am so that one parent can rest for several hours at a time, making it more likely to have some uninterrupted sleep.
- Worsening mental health: The rollercoaster of mood swings giving you déjà vu to your pregnancy days? You’re not alone. Our mental health goes hand in hand with our physical health, so lack of sleep can trigger anxiety, worsening symptoms of postpartum depression, and general irritability.
- Sleep tip: Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it! Ask friends and loved ones to help with household necessities like grocery shopping and cooking meals so you can focus on getting the rest you need.
- Difficulty concentrating: You don’t snooze, you lose – a lot. Mental acuity declines, and short-term memory suffers. It can get harder to focus on daily tasks, make decisions, and solve problems.
- Sleep tip: When possible, limit screen time at least 1 hour before bed or turn on your device’s blue-light filter or “night mode" setting to help your brain wind down. If it’s one of those nights where you can’t fall asleep and are stuck scrolling endlessly on your screen, try out our easy-on-your-eyes Dream Feed for extra resources and support..
- Reduced physical performance: A decline in physical and mental performance, including slower reaction times and poor coordination, can happen, which increase the risk of accidents. By all means, avoid driving or operating other machinery.
- Sleep tip: Find small ways to treat yourself when you’re having an especially tough time winding down (comforting bedtime skin routine, listening to a podcast or audio book etc.).
- Increased appetite and weight gain: Sleep deprivation can also lead to hormonal imbalances that trigger overeating and weight gain. If you’re feeling as though no matter what or how much you eat, you’re still hungry, lack of sleep may be to blame.
- Sleep tip: Prioritize sleep over household chores when possible. Don’t stress over unfolded laundry or dirty dishes – you have a newborn! Your priority should be your little one and, of course, you.
- Impaired immune function: Sleep and your immune system go hand in hand, so running on fumes for too long makes you more susceptible to illness. Not only does this impair you as a parent, but you can also expose your infant to colds and viruses.
- Sleep tip: The more your baby sleeps, the more you will, too. After the first few weeks home, acclimate your baby to their designated sleep space for a few minutes each day during a non-sleep time. Then, pick once a day and try putting your baby down to sleep when they are comfortably awake. And remember, a calming routine about the same time each day helps them create a stronger association between bedtime and sleep.
- Physical symptoms: Headaches, body aches, general discomfort, blurry or cloudy vision – the list goes on. With every tense muscle or point of pain, there’s no denying that sleep deprivation takes a physical toll.
- Sleep tip: You’ve heard it before, because it works: Reduce caffeine and embrace naps, especially if you can time them to when your baby naps. Consider listening to a guided meditation podcast to help you relax into a nap.
If these symptoms sound familiar, don’t worry – we’ve all been there. Parenting a newborn is all-consuming, and prioritizing your baby’s needs ahead of your own is understandable. But the effects of sleep deprivation are real. They not only impact you and your wellbeing, but also your ability to care for your little one. Check out these resources for more strategies to get the rest you need!