Tips for Treating Insomnia and Improving Postpartum Sleep Furthermore, studies have shown women who experience chronic insomnia after giving birth are at higher risk of developing postpartum pain. Researchers have suggested a link between a mother’s behavioral health and the psychosocial development of their child. They not only have a negative effect on the mother but also potentially their infant and partner. Postpartum sleep disturbances can be a serious matter.

One study found new mothers who sleep poorly are more than three times as likely to experience depression than those with good sleep quality. Insomnia may be a catalyst or a symptom of postpartum depression. Difficulty falling asleep and excessive sleeping are two common symptoms of this condition. Approximately one in eight pregnant women will experience postpartum depression. This disorder affecting new mothers can cause extreme sadness, anxiety, and fatigue. Postpartum depression, or perinatal depression, can be another obstacle to sleep. These adjustments can affect the woman’s circadian rhythm, which regulates not only sleep but also mood, appetite, and other bodily functions. These include a decrease in the production of progesterone, a female sex hormone with sleep-inducing properties, and changes in levels of melatonin, which the body produces in the evening to promote sleepiness and relaxation. These demands often force mothers to adjust their sleep schedules and, in many cases, sleep less at night.Īdditionally, women undergo hormonal changes during the postpartum period. Newborns wake up frequently and require feedings throughout the day and night. Most mothers also face new sleep challenges after giving birth. Sleep disruption, inadequate sleep, and insomnia symptoms are all common during pregnancy. The condition is known as short-term insomnia if less than 3 months duration.

If these symptoms occur at least three times per week and persist for at least three months, a person may receive a diagnosis of chronic insomnia. Insomnia occurs despite enough time allotted for sleep each night or a comfortable sleep area, and it leads to excessive daytime sleepiness and other impairments when the person is awake.

It is defined as persistent difficulty with sleep onset, maintenance, consolidation, or quality. Insomnia is a sleep disorder that is believed to affect 10-30% of adults. Studies have found the average new mother receives about six hours of sleep each night during this period. The first six weeks after delivery can be particularly trying.

Postpartum sleep issues may also stem from changes to the mother’s sleep schedule. Unfortunately, these sleep disturbances often continue after the woman has given birth, and some sleep even less during the first few postpartum weeks than they do during pregnancy. These symptoms include difficulty with both falling and remaining asleep, as well as nighttime awakenings. Some studies estimate roughly three-quarters of women experience insomnia symptoms during the later stages of their pregnancy. Insomnia is a common problem for pregnant women, especially during their third trimester.

Once more birth by sleep