Sleep protection isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.
As someone who has studied perinatal mental health disorders and as a specialist in this work, I can say with confidence: sleep deprivation is a major contributing factor to both mental and physical health risks in the postpartum period. We have decades of research confirming this, and yet, as a culture, we still don’t prioritize or protect sleep for mothers the way we should.
The concept of "sleep protection" was popularized by psychiatrist Dr. Pooja Lakshmin, who has written extensively about how boundaries around sleep are not just helpful, but essential for maternal mental health. Sleep protection refers to actively creating space and boundaries around rest in a system that often pressures mothers to sacrifice themselves at every turn.
Research shows that fragmented or inadequate sleep increases the risk of postpartum depression, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and even physical injury (Sivertsen et al., 2015; Okun, 2014).
We must reframe how we think about sleep: it is not indulgent or earned; it is foundational care. As mental health professionals, parents, and communities, we need to continue advocating for this right, on behalf of others and ourselves.
While not all families can afford night doulas or outside support, even small adjustments can help preserve mental health.
Through conversations with leading perinatal psychiatrists, practical suggestions often include:
Taking turns for overnight baby care
Using earplugs or sound machines
Sleeping in separate spaces when needed
Planning ahead for rest with family or doula support
Whatever it takes to get even one uninterrupted stretch of 4–6 hours, it matters.
If you needed a reminder: sleep is not a luxury, it is a safety concern.
Send this to your village. Share it with your partner. And if no one has told you this before: you are allowed to protect your sleep.
References
Lakshmin, P. (2023). Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness.
Okun, M. L. (2014). Disturbed sleep and postpartum depression. Current Psychiatry Reports.
Sivertsen, B. et al. (2015). Sleep and postpartum depression: A population-based longitudinal study. Archives of Women's Mental Health.