Sleeplessness - Worth it

An Unavoidable Experience of Parenthood

A long time ago I decided I cared more about my sleep than my grades. Where my peers pulled “all nighters” I simply went to bed and glanced through the test material throughout the morning up to the point of the test.

I prioritized a clear mind through regularly scheduled sleep times and wake up times as I’d looked through the research and studies at the time. If only I could get maximum rejuvenation from minimum time. The research did not support such ideas, still doesn’t.

Now that I am a new parent of a lovely daughter. She needs to eat every 2-4 hours or she lets us know she’s hungry. This means that even if I perfectly time her eating changing and sleeping to coincide with my bedtime at 10pm she’ll need to eat between 12-2am, and again between 4-6am BEST case scenario. Probably at 10, 1, 4, 7am.

Which means getting to sleep fast is helpful & the quality of sleep often needs to rise. How to do this?

Dr. Huberman's research focuses on understanding the neural circuits that underlie various behaviors and how we can use this knowledge to improve our physical and mental health. He has conducted studies on topics such as stress, anxiety, sleep, and vision, and has developed practical tools and strategies to help individuals optimize their brain function and overall wellbeing.

In the context of parenting, Dr. Huberman's research on stress and resilience appears to be particularly helpful. Parenting has the potential to be stressful and anxiety provoking. Understanding how stress affects the brain and body can help us develop effective coping strategies to support our own wellbeing. Additionally, Dr. Huberman's research on sleep and circadian rhythms can provide insights into how parents can optimize their own sleep and support healthy sleep habits in their children.

Links

Huberman Lab is at Stanford University

https://hubermanlab.com/

Conclusion

By now you’ve probably realized I have not posted in a couple weeks. It’s been quite a journey. I’m working back into a new routine, now that I’m a father!! Thanks for reading!

I’ll aim to return to weekly posts, however you can find me more active on Twitter if you need more!