Child Sleep Problems and Parental Depression: What Every Parent Should Know

No one expects a newborn to sleep well. But if the months go by and the baby still doesn’t sleep through the night, it can take a serious toll on the parents’ mental health. If your child isn’t sleeping well, relying on coffee and chocolate isn't the best solution. If left unaddressed, this significantly impact your quality of life.

A group of researchers from the University of British Columbia, led by sleep expert and nursing professor Wendy Hall, highlighted the link between children's sleep and parental mental health. The study followed 235 families with children, all of whom reported infant or toddler sleep issues. The study excluded families where a parent had already been diagnosed with clinical depression.

The researchers found that in families where parents expressed concern or felt helpless about their ability to help their child fall asleep, those parents scored higher on depression screening assessments.

To verify that the depression was directly related to the child’s sleep quality, the parents were split into two groups. One group received both information on baby and toddler sleep and personal sleep coaching. The second group received only the information, without personalized support. Parental depression levels were measured before the intervention, and then again six and twenty-four weeks later.

The results showed that both approaches were effective. In both groups, the parents’ mental state improved after receiving help, with notable progress at the 24-week mark. "Once the child’s sleep problems were addressed, the parents’ depression levels improved significantly. There was a 30% drop in the number of mothers and a 20% drop in the number of fathers who scored high for depression," Hall reported.

She emphasized that both healthcare providers and parents should take these findings seriously. “These results show us how important it is to really listen to parents of infants and young children, to identify signs of depression that may stem from feeling inadequate in helping their child sleep, and to recognize when exhaustion goes beyond normal parental fatigue.”