More Sleep for Mom
In This Article
If you're like us, chance are you're chronically sleep deprived. As a mom, it isn't easy to get enough shut-eye. Kids wake up at all hours of the night and most are notoriously early risers. Plus, the quest for a little "me time" often keeps moms up late at night.
What you may not realize is that, in order to cope, you must take care of your own needs first. Getting enough sleep can boost your immune system, make you more efficient and even make it easier to drop those post-pregnancy pounds. Here's why making time for shut-eye is a must.
Sleep Benefits
Sleep deprivation can affect your coping skills and heighten feelings of frustration and irritability. When moms experience difficult emotions there is a domino effect on the rest of the family.
Plus, a new study by researchers at Harvard Medical School found that sleep can affect how you lose your post-pregnancy weight. Mothers who slept five hours or fewer a day when their babies were six months old had a higher risk for substantial weight retention (11 pounds or more) at their baby's first birthday compared to moms who got seven hours of sleep.
