A new study published in the recently published journal Sleep Health suggests that new mothers may be right when they complain that all those sleepless nights taking care of their newborns are reducing their lifespan.
Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, studied the condition of 33 mothers during pregnancy and the first year after birth, analyzing DNA in female blood samples to determine their "physiological age", which may differ from the actual age.
Research has found that mothers who sleep less than 7 hours per night at the age of 6 months after childbirth are 3-7 years older than mothers who sleep for 7 hours or more.
Researchers suggest that the first few months of postpartum sleep deprivation may have long-lasting effects on physical health. Mothers who sleep for less than 7 hours also have shorter telomeres in their white blood cells. These small DNA fragments at the end of chromosomes act as protective caps, and shortened telomeres are associated with higher risks of cancer, cardiovascular and other diseases, as well as earlier death.
Research has found that for every additional hour of sleep, a mother's physiological age is younger, and sleep health is equally important for overall health as diet and exercise.
