Sleep Deprivation – The Impacts

You would likely recognise the impact that a lack of sleep has on you. You will recognise the way you feel without sleep, compared to the way you feel when you do sleep well. Do you notice the difference? For us we LOVE sleep, we NEED it and we make it a PRIORITY for the whole family. Without sleep our moods are altered, our patience is limited and we just don’t have the oomph we need to get through the busy days of juggling parenting/working and everything else that comes with #mumlife. We don’t like this feeling.

Occasionally when our children are unwell and their sleep habits are negatively affected (as a result), we are reminded of what it is like to not sleep adequately (trust us we have been there before) but as a temporary issue it’s easier to manage it and get by.

Lack of sleep long-term is HARD. For us, with sleep we are a better versions of ourselves, we are better Mama’s and better wives. This isn’t because we are terrible people without sleep but with sleep we are positioned to perform at our best, we are in our optimal state and this is the best place to juggle the role of mumming. 

Let’s be realistic though - there are going to be stages where we experience periods of reduced sleep i.e. when we have a newborn baby, this is inevitable. Or for example when we are unwell or our children are unwell we may have difficulty sleeping. BUT… we don’t need to continue sleeping poorly long-term.

Having a child doesn’t mean you have to continue to be sleep deprived. Children are capable of sleeping well. Children are programmed to sleep and they will sleep well if we provide the tools and the support that they need for good quality sleep.

 Unfortunately with continued poor sleep your family can be impacted. Sleep deprivation doesn’t just alter the way you feel it has a knock on effect to other areas in your life. Your relationship with your partner may be impacted. Research has shown that there is a direct link between sleep deprivation, marital conflict and divorce. Children are affected by marital conflict and this in itself can cause further difficulty with their sleep. Again, its a knock on effect. Parenting is challenging, it isn’t supposed to be easy. Work with your partner or support members in unity and support each other through challenges. Most importantly solve problems that can be solved. Sleep challenges can be solved. Getting rest for your family can happen. Sometimes it can be difficult to see a way forward, it can be difficult to see how you would change your current circumstances and it can be overwhelming to consider the best way to make positive changes but we are here to tell you that sleep can be a thing for you and your family if you want and need it.

If you need our support or you would like to talk about your current sleep situation then arrange a free chat with us. We would love to help you and support your family to sleep well.

Katie & Hayley x x