New research results show that parents of newborns who get enough sleep play an important role in improving their mental and psychological health, which automatically reflects on their satisfaction with life, according to Neuroscience News, citing the journal Sleep Health.
The research, conducted by a team of scientists from several US universities led by Professor Danielle Simmons Downs, professor of kinesiology and obstetrics and gynecology and associate director of the Penn State Social Sciences Research Institute, analyzed data on sleep, physical activity, mental health, and life satisfaction in couples.
new moms
Research findings found that adherence to sleep guidelines was associated with better mental health, and thus fathers’ satisfaction with their lives, and positive changes in women’s mental health, especially for first-time new mothers, were observed. No changes for men regardless of parental status.
Useful strategy
“Given the known decrease in physical activity for most couples who transition into parenthood and the findings in this study that most fathers did not adhere to the recommended sleep hours, targeted approaches include tailoring intervention doses to variable physical activity,” Professor Downs explained. and sleep needs,” she said, noting that throughout the perinatal and postnatal period, couples may need to follow a beneficial intervention strategy to improve and maintain optimal long-term mental health. For parents who can’t make more time in their schedule to sleep, the research team recommends avoiding large meals and not drinking caffeine close to bedtime, letting the body know it’s time to relax.
Small improvements
Researcher Alison Devine, a lecturer at the University of Leeds, said: ‘Research has found that physical activity has little effect on parents’ mental health, while there is a link between getting the recommended hours of sleep and better mental health for dads.
“Although the number of hours of sleep varied, most parents fell short of the recommended number by regarding one hour. Small improvements in sleep hours may have a significant impact on parents’ mental health,” Devine added. “The researchers recommend that health education be prioritized on the importance of sleep sufficient number of hours for new fathers, which can have a more positive impact on their quality of life.”
