Love yourself - day 10 - Sleep deprivation

Well if you've missed it so far, we're counting down the days till Valentine's Day by giving all you mums and mums-to-be a daily reason why you should Love Yourself.

Day 10 - Sleep deprivation
Most people think a lack of sleep only starts once the baby arrives. Wrong. During the last trimester of pregnancy, many women find it difficult to get comfortable enough to get a full night's sleep. Then there is the physical exhaustion and loss of sleep during the birth process (check out day 7 for more on that). And then there are the repeated broken nights as you wake to feed your baby. Or try to settle an uncomfortable baby.

We found this information on About.com that shows the impact sleep deprivation has on a person over time:

Night 1. Most people are capable of going without sleep for a night. The experience is tolerable if uncomfortable.
Night 2. The urge to sleep is much stronger, particularly between 3-5 a.m., when the body temperature is at its lowest.
Night 3. Tasks requiring sustained attention and mental calculations become seriously impaired. This is particularly the case if the task is repetitious and boring. Again, the early hours are the most crucial to needing sleep.
Night 4. From this night onwards, periods of micro-sleep occur. People stop what they are doing and stare into space for up to three seconds. The end of micro-sleep is accompanied by a return to full awareness. Confusion, irritability, misperception and the 'hat phenomenon' occur. In this, a tightening around the head is felt as though a hat too small for the head is being worn.
Night 5. On top of the effects previously mentioned, delusions (false beliefs) may be experienced. Intellectual and problem-solving abilities are largely unimpaired.
Night 6. Symptoms of depersonalization occur and a clear sense of identity is lost. This is called sleep deprivation psychosis.

Now most mothers manage to get some sleep so it's highly unlikely they'd go for 6 full days without sleep, but the relentlessness of months of broken nights and significantly less rest than you need, adds up. It's not too surprising that mums start to feel irritable, down in the dumps, have low self-esteem and are generally unhappy. But here's the thing: this phase does pass. And remarkably, we can catch up with sleep in a much shorter time than was lost through deprivation.

While you are in this sleep deprived state though, don't be too hard on yourself to be perfect. The fact that you're functioning at all is a good thing. Don't lament your messy house or less than perfect hair or the fact that you have lived on ready meals. Sleep when you can (we recommend a sleep bra if you're breastfeeding) and ignore the rest. You are a sleep deprivation survivor. That's something to be proud of.

If you're suffering from a lack of sleep and need a little pick me up, how about some chocolate? Simply leave us a comment below or Like Us on Facebook and you'll be entered in our draw to win these: