PParenthood: it comes with plenty of good and some bad. On one hand, you get the joy of motherhood (or fatherhood), a special bond between you and your new baby, and years of memories. But in the case of new parents, the downside is sleepless nights and sleep deprivation.
A study published in Sleep took a look at about 5,000 new parents and noticed that sleep deprivation and sleep interruption continue from post-pregnancy until up to six years after birth. When you factor in the reasons why we don’t get a good night’s rest—age, daily stress, etc.—and add a bouncing new bundle of joy to the mix, it makes perfect sense why new parents and parents of toddlers are constantly tired. On average, those who participated in the study clocked about four to six hours of shuteye per night, which is not nearly enough sleep.
A lack of sleep can not only wreak havoc on your skin and energy levels, it can also increase your risk for some serious health conditions, like heart disease and Alzheimer’s.
For those that have a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep–whether there is a houseful of young children or not–it’s best to stick to a regular bedtime schedule every night, limit the amount of time you spend on your phone before going to sleep, reduce your caffeine intake (especially in the afternoon) and take a melatonin-free nighttime nutraceutical like Hush & Hush MindYourMind. Together, this combination will put you on the path to restful, restorative sleep and make the rest of your day that much better.