How Postpartum Sleep Deprivation Impacts Your Mental Health and Ways to Cope
One of the hardest changes of new parenthood is sleep. Night feedings, crying babies, and adjusting to a new routine, can all lead to chronic disruptions in your sleep. Postpartum sleep deprivation is almost always brushed off as one of those things you go through when becoming a parent but it can actually have serious impacts on your mental health. Not only can it increase anxiety and depression but it also makes coping with your new role as a parent incredibly difficult.
Hopefully this blog will help you understand these impacts and give you some realistic ways in which you can improve your sleep. We’re here to help you get back to you!
Postpartum Sleep Deprivation, Mental Health, and the Link Between Them
Everyone knows that sleep is incredibly important not only for your body physically but for your brain emotionally. It is your body’s natural reset button.
When you have a newborn, those sleep habits that have been keeping you healthy all these years are now unpredictable, stressful, and full of things you have to be doing.
With all of these changes, including the hormonal shifts you’re experiencing, your brain and body will struggle to function at their highest capacity.
Postpartum sleep deprivation won’t only affect your day-to-day function but can impact your overall health, cognitive functioning, and mental health, too.
So what happens to the brain when you aren’t getting enough sleep? There are several key areas of the brain which become disrupted when you are not getting enough sleep.
The amygdala
Your amygdala is your brain’s emotional response centre, it processes your emotions like anxiety and fear. When you’re sleep deprived it no longer functions properly and becomes overactive which results in heightened emotional responses. This means you're more sensitive, irritable, and your emotional reactions may be more exaggerated than you’re used to. This makes not only day-to-day tasks incredibly frustrating and difficult but also makes being a parent harder than it is.
Declines in the prefrontal cortex
Your prefrontal cortex is in charge of higher level thinking, problem solving, and impulse control. When you’re sleep deprived this area of your brain weakens making it harder to make decisions, regulate your emotions, and remain on task. This makes you feel forgetful, you may have difficulty focusing, and have problems managing daily responsibilities.
Increased cortisol levels
Sleep obviously regulates your body’s stress response. When you don’t get enough sleep your body creates more of the stress hormone called cortisol. Higher levels of cortisol result in higher levels of anxiety, and even depressive symptoms. This is a very cyclic relationship. If your cortisol is high you may struggle falling or staying asleep, but if you’re not getting enough sleep your cortisol levels will be high. See the problem? You don’t want to end up in this zone.
Lower serotonin and dopamine production
Sleep boosts neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. A lack of sleep disrupts these neurochemicals which can result in feelings of hopelessness or a lack of motivation. If sleep disruptions continue neurotransmitters will be altered which put you at risk for developing postpartum depression or anxiety disorders.
Chronic sleep deprivation can cause not only physical challenges but emotional ones as well. It increases anxiety making parenting sometimes a more stressful experience than it already is.
Sleep deprivation can manifest as depressive symptoms which if not paid attention to closely can become postpartum depression. If you continue to lose sleep you can experience feelings of sadness, disinterest in activities which once brought you joy, and even social withdrawal.
As far as mood swings and irritability, lack of sleep makes it hard to regulate your emotions. When you’re already irritable and annoyed due to hormonal changes this is the last thing you want to be dealing with.
Parents who already have anxiety can experience heightened symptoms which could become OCD or just an increase in distressing and repetitive thoughts. This ties into having difficulty managing stress levels and having difficulty solving problems
For new parents the postpartum period is already stressful. Sleep deprivation can heighten all of those feelings and even make it worse. Making it all that much harder to adjust to life with a baby.
The combination of hormonal changes, overwhelming parental responsibilities, and lack of rest can exacerbate existing mental health conditions or even create new ones.
It’s important that early on you don’t brush off sleep deprivation and try to create an effective way to address and ensure you’re still getting the rest your brain and body so desperately need.
Why is it so Hard to Get Sleep During the Postpartum Period?
Especially for new parents in the postpartum period getting an adequate amount of sleep feels nearly impossible. You’re worried about feeding, diaper changes, and the natural stress that comes with having a new little one to take care of.
Postpartum depression isn’t just the amount of sleep you're losing but also the quality of sleep you’re losing as well. This can be a difficult thing to manage with night times feedings or changings.
Sometimes the stress of making sure your little one is happy and healthy is enough to keep you from any kind of rest you should be getting.
What are the Most Common Reasons New Parents Struggle with Sleep?
Frequent night wakings & unpredictable baby schedules
Newborns have irregular sleep cycles, they typically sleep for two to four hour stretches. This means that parents are woken up several times throughout the night.
Even if you’re getting seven to nine hours of sleep it’s typically broken and fragmented due to waking every couple hours. Which prevents a deep restorative sleep.
Waking up and falling back asleep is oftentimes more exhausting than just staying up all night because you’re disrupting your natural sleep cycles.
Hormonal changes that disrupt sleep
Postpartum hormonal fluctuations, specifically estrogen and progesterone, negatively impact the quality of sleep you are getting.
Lower progesterone levels promote relaxation and sleep during pregnancy but actually contribute to insomnia during the postpartum period.
Prolactin, which is produced if you’re breastfeeding, can lead to fatigue.
Anxiety
New parents have a heightened awareness of their baby’s needs. Often being too attentive makes it very hard to fully relax and sleep with fear of not being there for your baby.
Fear of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) waking up every half hour to make sure your baby is still breathing or being anxious for the next feeding keeps your body alert, not allowing you to rest.
Small noises or if the baby is being too quiet can alert a parent to wake up which reinforces light sleeping patterns which aren’t healthy.
● Lack of routine
Postpartum life revolves around a baby's unpredictable schedule.
The constant interruptions make it difficult to create healthy sleep wake cycles. ○ Day time napping often feels impossible because parents feel they should be getting other things done while the baby sleeps.
You need to prioritize your rest just as much as you prioritize yourself. You don’t have to “push through” the exhaustion because that’s what everyone tells you to do. Chronic sleep deprivation is a real concern to your mental health and you should take it seriously.
Recognize the things that are contributing to your poor sleep so that you can take proactive steps to take care of yourself and your well being.
5 Practical Ways to Improve Sleep (with a Newborn)
Getting a full eight hours of uninterrupted sleep is unrealistic. What you need to focus on instead is the quality of sleep. You need to find creative ways which work for you and your family and help you get the physical rest you need.
You won’t be able to eliminate sleep deprivation completely but you can make changes in your routine which will help you feel more rested and resilient.
1. Prioritize Rest Over Work and Perfection
One of the biggest things that new parents face is the pressure to do it all. It’s easy for you to think that you have to be doing everything all the time. This isn’t the case! In fact this can lead to further exhaustion and even burnout.
What to do:
Let go of the idea that you have to be productive when your baby is napping. I know this can feel frustrating to hear because there are so many things to get done but whenever possible sleep when your baby sleeps. Ask your partner or others in your support system to pick up extra tasks when it comes to housework so you can be resting when you can.
Lower expectations for the tasks you can accomplish. If you can only do a small load of laundry that’s okay! Don’t push yourself.
Communicate with your partner or family. Many new parents have their friends or family help them with chores so they can focus on sleep and parenting. Chores will come once your baby gets into a good sleep rhythm
Keep reminding yourself sleep is not a reward, it's a need. You need to be resting and taking care of yourself so you can take care of your baby.
2. Shift Sleep
If both parents or caregivers are involved in the night time routine this can make a significant difference in how rested you both feel! Remember it is important to get four to five hours of uninterrupted sleep to prevent the onset of postpartum mood disorders.
How does it work?
Divide the night into shifts, one parent handles baby care from 8PM to 2AM, the other from 2AM to 8PM. This allows both of you to be sleeping longer periods and not have to worry about waking up to take care of the baby.
Try bottle feeding as a night time alternative so that both parents have the ability to feed the baby.
If you’re breastfeeding exclusively, have your partner handle burping and changing and winding the baby down so that you can get back to sleep more quickly. Sometimes parents who stay home feel guilty asking their working partner for help because they think "taking care of the baby is my job right now." But remember—parenting is a 24-hour job, it's just unpaid. When your baby cries, it's like being on call with a pager that can go off at any moment, demanding an immediate response. No one can realistically work 24 hours straight, and parenting was always meant to be a shared responsibility.
Adjust what works based on your family. Even small windows of uninterrupted sleep can be more restorative than fragmented sleep.
3. Create a Calming Sleep Environment
If you can’t control the times you’re waking up you can improve how quickly you fall back to sleep. This means creating a space in which you feel calm and at ease so that you can get the rest you need!
What to do:
Invest in a good mattress and pillow combination.
Ensuring your room is dark so that it is easier to fall into a deep sleep.
Use noise machines or quiet music if that helps you.
Dim lights at night so your brain knows it’s time to be heading off to bed.
Try relaxation techniques before bed like meditation.
4. Nap Strategically
Sleeping when the baby sleeps can be frustrating advice to hear but if you are able to pull it off it can genuinely help with your mood and mental health. Even if they aren’t long drawn out naps, little ones help too!
How to make napping work:
Take 20 to 30 minute power naps throughout the day to avoid that groggy feeling while still waking up revived.
Use nap alarms to make sure you don’t sleep too long and wake up feeling worse.
Nap before 3PM so that way you can still sleep throughout the night.
Nap in a quiet dark room if you struggle falling asleep.
5. Don’t be Afraid to Ask for Help
Many new parents feel guilty asking for help because they think that other parents around them are crushing it! The reality is, they’re just as scared to admit they need help as you are! Getting help is incredibly important for yourself and your family so don’t shy away from it.
How do I get help?
Let family or friends care for the baby sometimes so you can nap or sleep longer at night.
Consider using pumped breastmilk or formula for night time feedings so your partners can help.
Talk to your doctor or therapist if you find sleep deprivation is affecting your functioning significantly.
Look into a night nurse for extra help.
When to Seek Professional Help
While some levels of postpartum sleep deprivation are expected in the chronic exhaustion is not. It’s not healthy for you, or your mental health. Chronic exhaustion can also affect physical functioning and physical health.
You can’t be a super parent if you’re constantly overwhelmed due to stress and exhaustion. Keep an eye out for signs that sleep deprivation may be affecting your mental health. Signs like intense mood swings, persistent anxiety, panic attacks, difficulty bonding with your baby, inability to sleep even when the baby is sleeping, frequent crying spells, racing or intrusive thoughts, and even memory problems or brain fog.
If you experience any of these problems in excess you should turn to professional help.
You can talk to your doctor or OB-GYN and see if the changes are due to hormonal changes, anemia, or postpartum depression.
You can talk to a therapist or counsellor which can help with anxiety, postpartum depression, or intrusive thoughts which all impede on getting a restful sleep.
Look into speaking to a lactation consultant who can give you feeding schedules which allow for better rest.
There are many postpartum support groups which could offer you some solutions but also share in your struggle to get a good night's rest.
Check out different night nurses or doulas for extra support that will help you through nights so you can get a good uninterrupted sleep.
Toronto Therapy Practice is here to help you! If you sense your symptoms are getting worse and bordering on postpartum depression or postpartum anxiety and you just feel you need someone to talk to who isn’t family.
Don’t hesitate to reach out. Try out our free consultation today to see if we’re the right fit for you! As always, we think you’re doing amazing! Keep up the great work!
