Solving Postpartum Insomnia

Answer 1

Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that affects 10-15% of women following childbirth. Postpartum insomnia is highly associated with postpartum depression. The relationship between postpartum depression and postpartum insomnia follows a tangled cause and effect pathway. Depression after childbirth may cause sleep problems, or sleep problems may contribute to depressive symptoms. However, both postpartum depression and postpartum insomnia are most likely triggered by erratic hormone levels as the body returns to a non-pregnant state following childbirth.

During pregnancy, levels of both estrogen and progesterone rise steadily and peak in the third trimester. After childbirth, these hormones fall dramatically. It is this dramatic decrease of hormones that can contribute to symptoms of postpartum psychosis. A similar, but smaller-scale, fall of hormones occurs in the luteal phase of a woman's cycle. During the one or two weeks before a woman's period starts, this fall of hormones can also contribute to sleep problems.

A woman experiencing postpartum insomnia may have a difficult time falling asleep. She may also wake up frequently or experience night sweats severe enough to leave her sleep-clothing wet. Anxiety may contribute to trouble falling asleep, and lack of sleep will certainly increase anxiety in the effected woman, so she may feel caught in a cycle that she can't escape.

Life may feel out of control following childbirth. A new child, a new schedule, and lots of visitors can quickly overwhelm a new mom. Then when she can't even control how and when she sleeps, her anxiety can rise. One study published in the academic journal "Sleep" in 2010 shows that the perception of sleep is more strongly related to mood disturbances than the actual quality of the sleep itself. Mindfulness training may help by reframing thoughts about sleep and reducing the overall stress that a lack of sleep can cause.

The woman who experiences sleep problems following childbirth should contact her doctor. Because insomnia is related to depression in new mothers, new mother can feel trapped in a situation that could in severe cases lead to dangerous or irrational thoughts. She needs the professional care of a doctor to help her solve her postpartum insomnia.

Postpartum insomnia is a common complaint of new mothers. New mothers need not feel alone in their distress. A health care practitioner can provide psychological support and evaluate the woman experiencing postpartum insomnia to bring targeted relief to resolve her sleep symptoms.