If you're a mom who’s running on caffeine and willpower, you're not alone—and you're definitely not imagining things. While everyone talks about the sleepless nights of early parenthood, the deeper story lies in the biological differences that affect how women sleep, how they respond to interruptions, and how their circadian rhythms are impacted by caregiving.
This Mother's Day, we’re shining a light on something moms don’t often hear: your sleep needs are different—and they matter.
🧠 The Science of Women’s Sleep: Not the Same as Men’s
Women May Need More Sleep
Research suggests that women may need about 20 more minutes of sleep per night than men. Why? One theory points to the demands of multitasking and more dynamic brain use throughout the day—functions that require more recovery time at night.
Hormones Play a Big Role
Sleep in women is highly influenced by hormonal shifts:
- During the menstrual cycle, fluctuating estrogen and progesterone levels can cause insomnia, especially in the days before menstruation.
- Pregnancy alters sleep architecture and increases nighttime awakenings.
- Postpartum and breastfeeding periods bring sharp hormonal drops, which can affect sleep quality and make falling back asleep harder after waking.
More Light Sleep, Less Deep Sleep
Women tend to spend more time in light stages of sleep (Stages 1 & 2) and less time in deep, restorative slow-wave sleep. This makes them more vulnerable to being awakened—whether by a crying baby or simply a change in room temperature.
Greater Risk of Insomnia
Women are nearly twice as likely as men to experience insomnia. Stress, anxiety, and hormonal transitions make it harder to fall asleep or stay asleep—especially during intense life phases like parenting.
🍼 What Happens During the Parenting Years
Moms Lose More Sleep Than Dads
Even in households where parenting duties are shared, mothers tend to lose more sleep in the first year of a child’s life. They’re more likely to respond to nighttime wakings and often remain mentally “on call,” even while their partner sleeps.
Fragmented Sleep Hits Moms Harder
Interrupted sleep doesn’t just make you tired—it alters how your brain and body function. And because women are more sensitive to sleep fragmentation, those night wakings take a bigger toll, leading to lower sleep quality even when total hours look okay on paper.
Circadian Rhythms Shift More for Moms
Kids don’t follow adult sleep schedules. Many moms adjust their own sleep-wake patterns to align with their child’s—going to bed earlier, waking before dawn, or sleeping in short, irregular bursts. These shifts throw off the body’s circadian clock, leading to a sense of jet lag, brain fog, and emotional fatigue.
Additionally, the emotional attunement many mothers feel toward their baby can amplify sensitivity to their baby’s sleep cues, pulling them out of deeper rest more frequently.
💡 What Can Help
While you can’t always control how much sleep you get, you can support your circadian rhythm and make sleep more restorative when it does happen.
Here are a few small steps that can make a big impact:
- Get natural light in the morning. Try to take a morning walk with your little one. Even just 10–20 minutes of daylight soon after waking helps reset your body clock and boost daytime energy. It can also help establish your newborn's circadian rhythms!
- Align your sleep schedule with your child’s. When your newborn takes a nap, go take a nap as well. If your toddler goes to bed early, consider shifting your own schedule earlier.
- Use red light during nighttime wake-ups. If you're up during the night with a baby, use dim, warm-toned lights or a circadian-friendly device to avoid confusing your body clock.
- Don’t fight early bedtimes. If your child is asleep at 8 p.m., give yourself permission to sleep then too. The laundry will wait. If shifting to an earlier bedtime feels hard, try using light therapy in the morning to help move your circadian rhythm earlier—your body clock will adjust more easily with the right light cues.
This Mother’s Day, Give Yourself (or a Mom You Love) the Gift of Rest
Moms give everything—and that includes their sleep. This Mother’s Day, we’re celebrating moms with a special offer of Buy 1 Lumos Mask, Get 1 Lumos BlueBlocker for Free using code Mom2025 to help restore and protect the circadian rhythm that keeps everything in balance.
