Without sleep, how long can we last?
The duration of nocturnal sleep varies according to a multitude of factors: age, state of health, emotional situation, etc. It has been calculated that in the first year of the child's life, parents usually lose between 400 and 750 hours of sleep to care for the newborn baby. How much can it affect us? Without sleep, how long can we last?
The dream has a fundamental role in the development and well-being of children, favoring learning and memory processes, helping in the consolidation of learning and promoting better behavior. But it also has a fundamental role in the health of parents.
The dream it is a behavior in which the human being invest, average, one third of his life. It is essential because it restores the basic physical and psychological balance of people. There are not many studies that evaluate the impact of the arrival of the baby on the parents' sleep; What is known is that the sleep time of first-time parents is lower in the first months after childbirth than during pregnancy, as well as fatigue levels.
The lack of sleep of first-time parents
Although some children develop sleep disorders, here we will refer to the generality, which are the parents of children with a normal sleep rhythm. Although during the first months of life it is normal for babies to wake up every three hours to feed and not follow a regular sleep pattern, 70 percent of parents say they are worried about the baby's sleep, because when the baby does not sleeps, can completely alter the rhythm of life of the whole family.
The care of a baby, whose sleep is spread over 24 hours with frequent night awakenings, has as a consequence that, particularly the woman, especially if breastfeed, experience sleep deprivation, fragmentation of sleep and significant fatigue. These alterations of sleep in the normal adult are especially pronounced in first-time mothers, due to the adaptation to the role of mother and the learning of child care.
Fragmentation, especially present during the postpartum period, causes an interruption of sleep throughout the night and, like sleep deprivation, leads to excessive daytime sleepiness and a decrease in cognitive performance, executive function and quality. of life.
How the baby sleeps
The sleep cycle of a newborn baby follows a pattern that we call polyphasic, distributed on a regular basis throughout the day and night, with an average duration of 50-60 minutes (compared to 90-minute sleep cycles). an adult).
Children up to twelve months of age have an average of three night awakenings and sleep between one and six hours of daytime nap, organized in a single period or in brief periods of 15 minutes. Therefore, adults should replicate this pattern of childhood sleep, which results in a fragmented dream.
Postpartum sleep disorders are not only related to the desynchronization of baby / mother sleep patterns, but also to the frequent takings and physiological changes in women, due to hormonal regulations that have effects on sleep: cortisol, estrogen , progesterone ...
Myths about sleep and the bottle
Obviously, in those families that opt for a bottle with formula milk or mixed feeding and not exclusive breastfeeding, the father can participate in the feeding of the baby to free the mother of some intakes and that she sleeps at that time.
However, it is interesting to mention that, contrary to what is commonly believed, breastfeeding could improve the mother's sleep. The woman is under the well-known beneficial effect of prolactin on sleep. In fact, it is estimated that mothers who are exclusively breastfed sleep 40 minutes longer than those who use mixed or artificial breastfeeding.
But there is something that we must take into account: the changes of sleep after childbirth and in the first months of life of a healthy baby are not a disease. Parents are physiologically prepared to be. But it can not be denied that the transition to parenthood is an exciting time, but also very stressful. Many learning needs appear during the first months after delivery.
In order for parents to feel competent and confident in their new role, they must acquire new knowledge and skills. Many new parents may not have the social support or models available to teach them positive behaviors. It is at this point that the health personnel, both from Nursing and midwives and doctors, play a key role in helping these new parents in their work.
Recommendations for new parents
- Always respond with calmness and support.
- It is convenient to build and adapt routines and schedules according to the needs and rhythms of the baby. Progressively, by becoming familiar with these patterns of the child, you can begin to establish rhythms and routines according to family needs.
- There are no good or bad systems, but different. The best system is the one that fits more harmonically to each family unit and follows the dominant cultural criteria.
- It is highly recommended that the mother follow the same sleep schedule as the child. This will prevent, in part, postpartum depression.
Dr. Carmen Terrón. Neurologist Institute of Advanced Neurosciences Madrid - Hospital Nuestra Señora del Rosario
