How to work through sleep challenges, manage expectations, and combat sleep debt after having a baby
Sleep is foundational to a family’s wellbeing, impacting nearly every biological process in body and mind. While some “sleep debt” is unavoidable for new parents, there are ways to align with your body’s circadian rhythm, offset sleep loss, and even get the best sleep of your life.
Aligning to Your Circadian Rhythm
Your circadian rhythm is your body’s internal clock. It regulates when you fall asleep, how you stay asleep, and how wakeful you feel in the day. To align with its natural rhythm, consider:
- Consistency: Wake up at the same time daily, even on weekends. Maintain a consistent, relaxing evening routine.
- Adequate sleep “opportunity”: Aim for 7.5-9.5 hours in bed. New parents or pregnant individuals might need 9+ hours in bed due to infant wakings and the processes of growing new life!
- Optimize light exposure: Get 10 minutes of morning sunlight or bright LED light exposure within 15 minutes of waking. Dim lights at sunset and minimize screen use 1 hour before bed.
- Keep your room cool and dark: A temperature of 68-70°F maintains safe sleep guidelines if you are room sharing, while giving your body the temperature signal for sleep. If it’s still Arizona’s hot season, a portable window A/C can be a sleep-saver! Consider, motion sensor night lights versus constantly illuminated lights.
- Limit stimulants: If you are drinking caffeine, stop intake 12 hours before bed. Avoid stimulating/stress inducing activities in the evenings.
Power Naps
If you are navigating sleep debt, naps can be a huge help to staying healthy in body and mind through the marathon of the early years. Here are some insights into optimizing naps:
- Your body naturally experiences a melatonin increase between 1- 4p.m., making it an ideal time for napping.
- Stay consistent with daily naps to avoid confusing your body’s internal clock.
- Nap benefits for various lengths:
» 20-30 minutes: Increases alertness and motor skills
» 30-60 minutes: Improves decision-making
» 60-90 minutes: Enhances problem-solving skills and makes up for sleep deprivation (limit to 1 per day)
Relaxation Tips
One of the biggest obstacles to sleep for parents is developing relaxation routines that work in down-regulating their body to sleep. Here are some evidence-based ways to induce relaxation:
- When getting to sleep: Maintain a personally relaxing routine (e.g., reading, drinking herbal tea, deep breathing meditation). Note: check with your physician before consuming herbal teas if you are pregnant or nursing.
- After a night waking: Try box breathing or progressive muscle relaxation to get back to sleep from a night waking.
Asking for and Receiving Help
A new skillset for many new parents is to learn to ask for and receive help.
- Recognize that it truly takes a village to raise a child.
- Practice asking for help from partners, family, nannies, neighbors, or friends.
- Allow the house to get messy while balancing responsibilities and grant yourself some grace, if it means getting to bed on time.
Sidney Garcia is a local Arizona mother and certified Epigenetics & Embodiment lifestyle coach who helps mothers cultivate wellbeing, starting with themselves. She specializes in helping moms to optimize healthy gene expression by sleeping well and developing stress busting rituals. You can start optimizing your sleep now by joining her virtual free 1-week sleep “retreat” or to see other offers visit, www.reviveyourthrive.life
