In one study, an international group of researchers estimated the number of years it takes parents to regain good quality sleep after the birth of their child.
- When children were between 4 and 6 years old, sleep duration was still about 20 minutes less in mothers and 15 minutes in fathers than estimated before pregnancy.
- Breastfeeding was associated with a slight decrease in maternal satisfaction and sleep duration.
- Parents’ age, income, and psychosocial factors, such as dual parenthood, were not related to improved sleep.
We know that becoming parents leads to a lack of rest and sleep. But after how long is it possible to sleep normally again? This is the question answered by British and German scientists. To answer this, they carried out work, the results of which were published in the journal sleeping.
4,659 parents questioned on the satisfaction and duration of their sleep
As part of this research, the team examined changes in sleep satisfaction and duration of mothers and fathers before pregnancy, during pregnancy and in the postnatal period, up to 6 years later. the birth of the child. To carry out the study, the researchers recruited 2,541 women and 2,118 men who declared having had their first, second or third child. Between 2008 and 2015, participants had to answer a questionnaire on the satisfaction and duration of their sleep.
“Women tend to have more sleep problems than men”
According to the results, satisfaction and sleep duration decreased sharply with childbirth. During the first 3 months after birth, mothers slept an average of 1 hour less than before pregnancy, while fathers’ sleep duration decreased by about 15 minutes. “Women tend to have more sleep disturbances than men after the birth of a child, reflecting the fact that mothers still play the primary ‘caregiver’ role more often than fathers,” said Sakari Lemola, author of the work, in a statement.
Parents regain normal sleep 6 years after childbirth
According to the authors, mothers and fathers need six years to regain good quality sleep after the birth of their baby. “Although having children is a major source of joy for most parents, it is possible that the increased demands and responsibilities associated with parenting lead to shorter sleep and reduced sleep quality. , even up to six years after the birth of the first child”, concluded Sakari Lemola.
