Why do so many of us downplay the impact of sleep deprivation, whether it’s related to the arrival of a child or other life changes?
Why do we find it so difficult to ask for and get help?
We all know that sleep is a vital need. Sleep deprivation has been shown to impact children, parents and overall family functioning by disrupting the ability to think (cognitive health), interact (social well-being), grow (physical health), feel (mental health), and heal (immune health). Conversely, these functions also influence sleep. Conversely, these functions also influence sleep.
So it’s better to create a virtuous sleep cycle than a vicious one. Sleep deprived and worried that their child is not sleeping as well as they should, parents are looking for solutions… for their child.
| What if we turned the tables and accepted that child and parent sleep are two sides of the same coin? |
Parental fatigue exists and has an impact on the whole family. It must be recognized, named, expressed and heard. To learn more, read the article, “I’m exhausted and can’t take it anymore! It has to change. What can I do?”
Olivier Bernard, Le Pharmachien, kindly agreed to discuss this topic with us following Évelyne Touchette’s guest appearance on his program on infant sleep broadcast on Explora on January 21, 2022.
Watch “Et si c’était le parent qui avait besoin de sommeil?” to get his point of view on the subject.
Subtitles available in English and French – CC bottom right
