4 Tips For New Parents To Overcome Trouble Sleeping

Sleep deprivation can be a challenging thing to deal with at any stage of your life, but if you’re a new parent, it’s part of the deal.

According to statistics reported by The Guardian, new parents can struggle with a lack of sleep for up to six years after the birth of their child.

While this can seem intimidating, the truth is, it’s far from impossible to combat your trouble sleeping as a new parent.

There are simple ways you can optimize your sleep, from finding the best mattress to rest on, to setting up your bedroom for the most amount of comfort.

Getting your sleep schedule right while juggling life with your tiny new roommate plays a really significant role in your well-being. Improved sleep patterns will help you be the best parent you can be: one with elevated moods, more focus and energy, and health that will power you through days that are a challenge.

So where do you start with figuring out how to sleep better if you’re a new parent?

1. New parents need the best mattress possible for rest

Sleeping better with a baby involves finding the best mattress possible for your sleep position, along with other sleep accessories that make getting in and out of bed during those late-night interruptions from your little one a little more bearable. 

As a new parent, finding the best mattress that is able to support and comfort you properly through your rest is crucial for your recovery. New mothers will want to be especially careful about finding the best mattresses that relieve pressure points in the body specifically to help in the beginning stages of postpartum care.

Memory foam mattresses are often ranked the best mattresses for this very reason. The best memory foam mattresses will have been engineered with the perfect balance of comfort and support in mind, allowing new mothers who especially struggle with abdominal pain and soreness after birth to find some relief and fight off any trouble sleeping they might experience.

New mothers are also going to be extra sensitive to external environmental disturbances during their sleep. While this can be great when you want to rise and look after a baby who has trouble sleeping, it can be less helpful if you find yourself having trouble sleeping.

Here again, memory foam wins out as the best mattress for particularly restless sleepers.

If you’re convinced you already have the best mattress for your rest, there are other bedroom accessories that can be especially useful to new parents who are facing trouble sleeping.

An adjustable bed frame can be especially handy when it comes to propping yourself up when it’s time for a feed, or elevating the foot of your bed to release pressure in your back.

Depending on the type of adjustable bed frame you purchase, you might also get nifty features such as massage zones, pre-set positions that are made for your optimal comfort, and storage solutions for your bedroom. Well worth investing in if you’re looking to make the leap.

2. Relaxing Lighting For Parents Who Need Shut-Eye

How can your bedroom decor be optimized for better sleep when you’re adjusting to life with a newborn?

We’re not necessarily talking about switching to a grand chandelier (just yet), but there are some small, low investment and high impact ways in which making a few tweaks to your bedroom can actually significantly improve your issues with trouble sleeping.

Investing in the best mattress isn’t the only way you can use bedroom decor to improve your sleep. Ensure you’re blocking out any natural light that enters your room through the day- heavyset curtains or blinds will work great for this.

The reason these are especially important to new parents is that your tiny new roommate might have sleeping patterns that are a little more erratic, and require you to sleep through the day.

Using softer colors to decorate your space can also help you access deeper rest. Research shows that shades such as blue, yellow, and even orange can help promote feelings of restfulness, joy, and the relaxation required to wind down.

Bolder colors, such as red or purple, have actually been associated with trouble sleeping, so try and keep these to a minimum.

3. Finding The Right Temperature For You and Your Baby

Studies show that keeping your room cool is also an equally important aspect of getting the right type of rest. This is especially important when you’re bringing a baby home, as your little one runs the risk of overheating in a stuffy room or having their own trouble sleeping well.

The ideal temperature for a good night’s sleep falls somewhere between 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you have a lot of bigger pieces of bedroom furniture arranged close together, you may also have an issue with airflow in your room, which can potentially cause stuffiness.

Keep this to a minimum by picking out the best mattress size for your space, and make sure you aren’t overcrowding your bedroom with decorative furniture. The additional airflow will keep you and your infant cool through the night.

4. Creating A Sleep Routine That Works For You

As a new parent, building a sleep routine that ensures you’re looking after your sleep hygiene in the best way possible can be the toughest thing to accommodate around the new schedule you have with your child.

While finding the best mattress for your sleep helps, it won’t be enough without the help of the correct sleep hygiene practices. We’re not saying you need to drink all the herbal tea, but a cup each night will certainly help with your trouble sleeping.

Get into a nightly ritual that your body can use to associate with rest. Various different practices have been shown to have a positive effect on a person’s sleep cycle. Some studies show calming music can have the effect of deeper, longer sleep in adults who have trouble getting to bed each night.

If you’re done with noise for the day, there are other ways research has proven to get your body into a state of relaxation. When you take a hot shower, you experience a drop in body temperature, which physically encourages the brain to switch into rest mode.

Splitting up the work of who gets the night shift on your new child is also an efficient way to help manage your sleep cycle. Tag-teaming your baby’s different sleep cycles and trouble sleeping with a partner will make the whole process a whole lot smoother.

A memory foam mattress is useful here since motion isolating properties means you won’t feel the shuffle of a partner who’s going to soothe your baby- leaving your rest undisturbed.

Though the first few months as new parents are far from a smooth ride, the reward is worth all the work you put into it. As we like to say - great sleep is possible for anyone.

With the help of the best mattress for you and sleeping habits that can be put into consistent practice, you’ll forget all about your trouble sleeping, and be resting as sound as your baby does in no time.

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Written by Teresa Francis, Certified Sleep Science Coach

Teresa Francis is a Certified Sleep Science Coach and full-time writer focused on well-being and sleep health. She’s written on a variety of topics, from what’s trending in bedroom decor to the way lifestyle influences sleep. Some of the subject areas she covers for Puffy include the best foods for better sleep, how new parents can catch up on rest, and the best way to become a morning person. Teresa has a Master’s Degree in Literature, and has always believed in the power of a good bedtime story.