A study was conducted on 122 new mothers to evaluate the possible correlations between sleep patterns and postpartum depressive symptoms.
Depression has the potential to creep up on new mothers and unfortunately affects both mother and child. It is reported that 13
A study was conducted on 122 new mothers to evaluate the possible correlations between sleep patterns and postpartum depressive symptoms.
Depression has the potential to creep up on new mothers and unfortunately affects both mother and child. It is reported that 13-19% of women experience postpartum depression with as many as 30% of women who have a history of depression in the family or within themselves.
The consequences of a new mother falling ill after giving birth include a lack of infant bonding, behavioural issues in the child throughout life, and a risk of depression in both parents. Previous studies have suggested that lack of sleep may be an important factor in terms of predicting depression or worsening the condition in the mothers. However, none have done follow-ups and observed how changing sleep patterns potentially impacted the depressive symptoms. Additionally, no studies have previously looked at women specifically who have had a history of depression or whose mother experienced postpartum depression.
Does Lack of Sleep Lead to Depression?
BMC Women’s Health published a study conducted in Minnesota, USA on predominantly educated Caucasian women who reported high risk for postpartum depression. The study evaluated the link between sleep and postpartum depression. The women were overall healthy at the time of the study and did not report to have been in the middle of a depressive episode. The women completed two different self-reports, one regarding sleep quality and another regarding depressive symptoms. The same self-reports were completed six weeks postpartum and then additionally at seven months postpartum.
Sleep patterns and disturbances were evaluated using several different measures, including sleep latency, daytime dysfunction, and sleep quality. Sleep latency is the amount time spent awake trying to fall asleep, daytime dysfunction refers to the need to fall asleep throughout the day, and sleep quality is the number of times the participant wakes up and for how long in the night time.
Less Sleep Led to Depression
The results demonstrate that overall sleep patterns improved from the six-week self-reports to the seven-month follow-up, indicating that sleep problems generally improve over time