A recent study has found that new parents get less than five hours sleep during the first year of their child’s life.
Our routines change drastically when we welcome a baby into our families, but one thing that is impacted the most is our sleeping pattern.
From night feeds to early morning starts, babies tend to stop us from getting our full eight hours.
The team shared that new parents get an average of four hours and 44 minutes of sleep, which is nearly half of the recommended amount of sleep one needs.
New parents tend to lose an average of 50 nights sleep in the first 12 months of their baby’s life.
Sleep deprivation can have a huge impact on your physical and mental health. It can cause clumsiness, fatigue and an increased appetite.
It can also cause irritability, depressive moods, forgetfulness and moodiness.
The researchers found that sleep deprivation can have a negative effect on relationships, due to the impact it has on your mood.
Two-thirds of parents admitted they often argued with their partner about their lack of sleep and their babies sleeping pattern.
23 percent of parents even admitted that the lack of sleep caused a change in their behaviour, with many sharing that they acted “slightly unusually.”
With forgetfulness being one of the main effects of sleep deprivation, it’ll come as no surprise to hear that 8 percent of parents forget their baby’s name after a bad night’s sleep.
There are many things new parents can do to make them feel better if they’re sleep deprived. Experts stress the importance of staying hydrated. Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning will rehydrate your body and wake it up.
They also recommend eating a healthy breakfast. We know you’d much rather eat a stack of pancakes, but food like blueberries, eggs, berries and nuts will help boost cognitive function, making it easier for you to focus on the day ahead, even if you’ve only slept for three hours.
