NEW DELHI: The 34-year-old Ramya recently had a baby. Balancing a demanding corporate job, Ramya was experiencing challenges with her new role as a mother, particularly with getting enough sleep. It’s a bane that all new parents face but in her case, sleeplessness became so serious it started affecting her mental health.
“I had to finally consult a therapist who helped me to get over the symptoms such as anxiety, mood swings and emotional instability caused by sleep deprivation,” she said.
Dr Manju Gupta, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Motherhood Hospital in Noida, said sleeplessness is known to be a challenge faced by most new mothers, impacting their physical health, mental well-being, and overall quality of life.
“The good thing is that there is a greater acknowledgement in the medical community and society at large that sleep deprivation is a significant issue for new mothers, not just a normal part of motherhood. In our hospital, we share and even counsel new mothers about coping strategies,” she added.
According to Dr Rajesh Sagar, professor, department of psychiatry at AIIMS Delhi, poor sleep can exacerbate physical health issues such as fatigue, headaches, body aches, and weaken the immune system, making it tougher for new mothers to recover from childbirth and manage the demands of caring for a newborn. “It can also impact maternal mental health and breastfeeding and milk supply, as sleep deprivation affects hormone levels and milk production,” he explained. The AIIMS doctor added that sleep deprivation can strain relationships with partners and family members, as new mothers may become more irritable, withdrawn, or emotionally distant and advised timely support to avoid long-term consequences.
Dr Anjila Aneja, senior director, obstetrics, and gynaecology at Fortis La Femme said there is a significant relationship between postpartum depression (depression that occurs after childbirth) and postpartum insomnia (sleeplessness that occurs after childbirth). “If one is not able to cope with it, then it may be advisable to seek medical help early,” Dr Aneja said.
Management of sleeplessness after childbirth include lifestyle choices such as going to bed at the same time each night, avoiding sugar or caffeine right before bed, avoiding screen time for one hour before bed and keeping your room free from distractions, like screens or phone alerts, the Fortis La Femme doctor said, adding further that if the lifestyle changes aren’t helpful Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be advised.
CBT involves helping patients concentrate on changes that are most likely to produce improvements in their sleep.
“As one shoe size doesn’t fit all, similarly one type of treatment may not work with every woman. It’s important to seek professional help as soon as you start to struggle and prioritise your sleep health before things get worse. Insomnia can last several years without treatment, and it’s well worth it for you to invest in better mental and physical health now rather than wait several years for symptoms to resolve on their own,” Dr Aneja said.
“I had to finally consult a therapist who helped me to get over the symptoms such as anxiety, mood swings and emotional instability caused by sleep deprivation,” she said.
Dr Manju Gupta, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Motherhood Hospital in Noida, said sleeplessness is known to be a challenge faced by most new mothers, impacting their physical health, mental well-being, and overall quality of life.
“The good thing is that there is a greater acknowledgement in the medical community and society at large that sleep deprivation is a significant issue for new mothers, not just a normal part of motherhood. In our hospital, we share and even counsel new mothers about coping strategies,” she added.
According to Dr Rajesh Sagar, professor, department of psychiatry at AIIMS Delhi, poor sleep can exacerbate physical health issues such as fatigue, headaches, body aches, and weaken the immune system, making it tougher for new mothers to recover from childbirth and manage the demands of caring for a newborn. “It can also impact maternal mental health and breastfeeding and milk supply, as sleep deprivation affects hormone levels and milk production,” he explained. The AIIMS doctor added that sleep deprivation can strain relationships with partners and family members, as new mothers may become more irritable, withdrawn, or emotionally distant and advised timely support to avoid long-term consequences.
Dr Anjila Aneja, senior director, obstetrics, and gynaecology at Fortis La Femme said there is a significant relationship between postpartum depression (depression that occurs after childbirth) and postpartum insomnia (sleeplessness that occurs after childbirth). “If one is not able to cope with it, then it may be advisable to seek medical help early,” Dr Aneja said.
Management of sleeplessness after childbirth include lifestyle choices such as going to bed at the same time each night, avoiding sugar or caffeine right before bed, avoiding screen time for one hour before bed and keeping your room free from distractions, like screens or phone alerts, the Fortis La Femme doctor said, adding further that if the lifestyle changes aren’t helpful Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be advised.
CBT involves helping patients concentrate on changes that are most likely to produce improvements in their sleep.
“As one shoe size doesn’t fit all, similarly one type of treatment may not work with every woman. It’s important to seek professional help as soon as you start to struggle and prioritise your sleep health before things get worse. Insomnia can last several years without treatment, and it’s well worth it for you to invest in better mental and physical health now rather than wait several years for symptoms to resolve on their own,” Dr Aneja said.
