Hello, I love your podcast and would like some assistance navigating to the topic of sleep, alertness, and light stimulation. I’ve always had a love hate relationship with sleep; often struggling with insomnia of some kind even as a young child. I’m very sensitive to insomnia. My current problem is getting back to sleep when I have to get up to take care of my infant. For example, I fell asleep putting my 2 year old to bed, woke up a couple hours later and went to my bed. I got my phone and set my alarm for 6am though I typically try to avoid any phone light at night. Sometimes unavoidable though. I lay down and within a few minutes my 6 month old wakes up. Since I’m ready awake I get up versus my husband who’s sleeping. I go to make a bottle (unfortunately my baby is being formula fed vs breastfeeding unlike with my first child). Normally I have prepped for nighttime feedings in advanced to avoid this but since I put my other child to bed I didn’t get to do so and I have to go all the way downstairs to the kitchen to get more formula to put in our instant bottle maker which is kept in our bathroom. A light was on downstairs so now not only is my cortisol rising by my baby crying harder as I’m delayed but now I have exposed myself to a greater about of light and movement, I have to turn on another light to open the formula and see what I’m doing and finally go in with my crying baby, give him a bottle and rock him back to sleep over the course of maybe 15-30 minutes. At this point since waking up in my toddlers bed I have now been up and out of bed multiple times, exposed to various types of light and high levels of cortisol and elevated heart rate from running down and up the stairs. It will now take me several hours to get back to sleep in the middle of the night. Crucial desperate and precious time I could be sleeping. But my brain is just too alert now. Is there an episode that touches on light exposure and cortisol level for parents with young children for nightly sleep? I’ve been prescribed a couple of different meds over the years (before having children and afterwards) but I hate how they make me feel either during the day or in the morning. I’m a morning person. It’s when I have the most energy and am the most productive. I’d choose sleep deprivation (3-5 hours of significantly interrupted sleep) over being in such a bad mood in the morning that I’m actually angry from taking sleeping meds. Looking for tools to help with sleep when I encounter some inevitable sleep disturbing hurdles like the situation I described above that happens often. Hopefully you have an episode that touches on this already. Your work has improved my life. Side note, my dad also loves your work who is head of the health and science department at UCSB. Thank you so much! -Daschia Lawrence
Sources:
Thank you for your thoughtful message, Daschia! It sounds like you’re facing quite the challenge with sleep, especially while managing your young children. Here are some insights that could help you based on the discussions on the .
Recommended Episode: Sleep Strategies for Parents
Key Insights:
-
90-Minute Sleep Cycles: Rather than forcing yourself to sleep for long stretches, aim for shorter, 90-minute sleep cycles when possible. Multiple shorter sleep sessions can be more restorative than fewer long periods if you're caring for children. It’s suggested that if you can capture sleep even in short increments, that’s beneficial. 1
-
Morning and Evening Light Exposure: When sleep is disorganized, it’s crucial to anchor your circadian rhythm by getting morning and evening sunlight. This can help stabilize your sleep patterns and regulate stress hormones like cortisol. 1
-
Stay Calm and Utilize NSDR: When sleep deprived, using Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) protocols can help maintain some level of recovery even when you can't achieve full sleep. This involves relaxation techniques to calm your nervous system and possibly get short rest periods. 2
-
Fractured Sleep is Better Than None: If your sleep is interrupted frequently, try to prioritize getting brief bouts of sleep as your baby sleeps. These can be cumulative and prevent extreme alertness during the night. 2
-
Avoid High Light Exposure at Night: When you do need to get up, keep lights dim or use low-intensity lamps to minimize disruption to your circadian rhythm and reduce cortisol spikes. 1
Additional Tools and Considerations
-
If you find yourself struggling despite these techniques, consider exploring Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) as a non-pharmacological approach to address underlying sleep issues tailored for your situation.
-
Remember to discuss any sleep medications and their potential effects with a healthcare provider, especially since you’ve experienced negative side effects in the past.
By implementing some of these strategies, it may become easier to manage your sleep disruptions. Remember, it’s perfectly normal to seek support during these demanding times as a parent. Thank you for sharing your experience, and best of luck navigating your sleep journey!
RELATED QUESTIONS-
