6 Sleep Tips For New Dads

Jan 15, 2020

5 min read

This post of sleep tips for Dads, is my first guest post in a while and focuses on a topic that is currently near and dear to my heart – sleep. Since Ryker was born, sleep has been an elusive target for the Dashing parents and as Jane can attest to, I’m a grumpy Gus when I don’t get a good sleep.

This post is written by Meg Riley from Sleep Junkie. Meg is a Certified Sleep Science Coach and a full-time writer focused on sleep health and the mattress industry. She is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Sleep Junkie.

Meg started to focus on the sleep health industry in 2018. Since then, she has written over 70+ articles on sleep hygiene, product reviews, and the newest trends in the mattress and bedding industry. So without further adieu, here’s 6 Sleep Tips For Dads

Chances are you’re reading this late at night as you struggle to consolidate your skewed sleeping schedule with your new baby’s. According to a survey published on Sleep Junkie, most adults reported getting around 7 hours of sleep every night before they had a baby. However, after the baby was born, their sleep quality plummeted and they lost over 90 minutes of sleep each night.

During a time of big adjustments, getting the right amount of sleep every night is just another hurdle to add to your list. Sleeping doesn’t have to be a struggle though. You can adopt some healthy sleep hygiene habits and get yourself on track to a full 7-9 hours in no time.

1. Avoid Daytime Naps

Dozing off at work at your desk or during your lunch break? It’s normal, even for those of us without kids, but excessive daytime sleepiness can affect your work performance. As your newborn adjusts to their circadian rhythms, you might find yourself struggling to stay awake at work or at home more often than you used to.

It’s tempting to take a quick nap so you can get through the day, but if you can, avoid it. Taking a nap can push back your circadian rhythm, keeping you awake for longer with little likelihood that you’ll get to sleep in. If you really need a nap, make sure it’s no longer than 30 minutes; this will keep your normal sleep rhythms intact.

2. Limit Your Caffeine Intake

Caffeine is a favorite energy booster, but it can disrupt those fragile sleep cycles if consumed too close to bedtime. One study found drinking caffeine up to six hours before bedtime delayed a normal sleep cycle. If you need something to get you through the day, try getting up and moving around; exercise gets the blood moving and energizes the body, at least temporarily.

3. Eat Sleep-Promoting Foods

Instead of relying on supplements to get to sleep, try eating foods that contain sleep-promoting ingredients such as almonds, cherries, milk, and whole grains. These contain melatonin, serotonin, magnesium, and tryptophan, which all work together to help you relax and get some shut-eye.

Magnesium: Magnesium is a mineral we all need for good bone health and other essential functions. Magnesium binds to the GABA receptor in our brains, calming and relaxing us.

Good sources of magnesium: Bananas, almonds, spinach, avocados, black beans

Melatonin: Melatonin is a hormone released by the body to help us relax and go to sleep. It spikes around bedtime and tapers off when the sun comes back up; in other words, it regulates our sleep-wake cycle, or circadian rhythm.

Good sources of melatonin: Cherry juice, pomegranate, whole grains, walnuts

Tryptophan: Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that helps induce sleep. However, our bodies don’t make it, so we have to consume it via a nutritional diet.

Good sources of tryptophan: Salmon, eggs, spinach, nuts, milk

Serotonin: Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that affects our mood. Low levels of it can lead to depression and anxiety. Without serotonin, we cannot synthesize melatonin.

Good sources of serotonin: Eggs, salmon, cheese, nuts, oats, dark chocolate, pineapple

4. Establish a Consistent Bedtime Routine

If you’re an expecting parent, this tip might be easier to implement now rather than after your baby is born. However, it’s not impossible to try and establish a consistent routine after the baby comes— it just might be a little more difficult, like everything else when you’re sleep-deprived!

Start by deciding on and sticking to a bedtime and wake time every day, even on the weekends. One of the more popular treatments for insomnia is sleep restriction therapy, which involves adhering to a strict bedtime every single night. Note this doesn’t mean going to bed and scrolling through your phone— it means going to bed, turning out the lights, and surrendering to sleep.

5. Don’t Bring Technology Into the Bedroom

We mentioned earlier that you shouldn’t have your smartphones near your bed; that’s because they (and other electronics) emit blue light. Blue light exposure is perfectly normal during the day–in fact, it lets our bodies know that it’s daytime and thus, time to be awake. But when the sun goes down, our bodies begin to prepare for sleep. It’s all a part of our circadian rhythm. When we reintroduce blue light after dark, our bodies think it’s daytime again, and melatonin production is slowed or delayed. Then we don’t fall asleep until much later.

If you need an activity to help you wind down before bed, try reading a book or doing some light stretching.

6. Make Your Room Conducive to Sleep

If you’re still not sleeping well after implementing these sleep tips for dads, it’s time to look at your actual sleeping space. Does your room let in a lot of light? Is your mattress sagging and uncomfortable? Is your bedroom too hot or cold? It only takes a few tweaks to get your sleeping environment the best it can be for a good night’s sleep:

Adjust your thermostat so it’s between 18-24 degrees (with some variation depending on your personal preferences)
Put up some blackout curtains
Consider buying a new, comfortable mattress
Only do relaxing activities before bed; avoid anything that can get your heart rate up, such as vigorous exercise or stressful activities

Dads Need Sleep, Too

Having a baby brings a lot of change and unpredictability into our lives. A lot of the focus is on the mom and the baby, but dads need some sleep too! In fact, one study found that fathers, not mothers, experience more sleep deprivation after the baby is born. Thankfully, you just need to implement some of theses sleep tips for dads and you’ll be on your way to better rest.