‘Babies cost six months’ sleep’

A new study has found that parents lose out on six months' sleep in the first two years after a baby's birth.

Many may not mind it,but a new study has found that parents lose out on six months’ sleep in the first two years after a baby’s birth.

According to the study,on average parents get just four uninterrupted hours a night — an hour less than the minimum they need to be able to function and avoid rows and mood swings,a newspaper reported.

The study is based on a survey of 1,000 parents.

The poll found that two in three parents said they had only three and three-quarters hours’ sleep in one go. A particularly unlucky one in 10 said they had less than two-and -a-half hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Typically,they are woken by their baby crying,then fall wearily back to sleep for only an hour or so.

Sleep expert Iftikhar Mirza,who commissioned the poll for mattress firm Silentnight was quoted as saying,”What parents don’t realise is that it’s the lack of ‘basal’ sleep that’s the problem.

“You need a minimum of five hours uninterrupted sleep in one go. An hour here and there doesn’t negate ‘sleep debt’.

“Parents can eat healthily to boost immune systems and take regular,gentle exercise to release endorphins,which should lower the risk of mood swings.”

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