New Parents Lose 44 Days of Sleep in Baby's First Year

If you're a new parent walking around like a zombie, you're not imagining it. Research shows that during your baby's first year, you'll lose approximately 1,055.6 hours of sleep—which adds up to almost 44 days straight without closing your eyes.

That's the equivalent of pulling an all-nighter every single night for a month and a half.

Where Does All That Sleep Go?

UK surveys found that new parents average just 5.1 hours of sleep per night during baby's first year, compared to the recommended 7-9 hours for adults. That 2-3 hour nightly deficit compounds fast.

The sleep loss isn't evenly distributed, either. The first five months are brutal—parents lose an average of two hours per night. Things improve slightly after that, but you're still down about an hour per night until your child turns two.

Mothers bear the brunt of the sleeplessness. Studies show moms lose an average of five hours each night compared to fathers, who miss about three and a half hours. That's particularly concerning because research has found strong links between postpartum sleep deprivation and depression.

The Real-World Impact

Sleep deprivation isn't just about feeling groggy. Japanese research on first-time mothers found some were getting as little as four hours of total sleep in the early postpartum period. Nearly 97% of postpartum participants in recent studies reported not sleeping well.

The consequences go beyond just being tired:

• Women with poor sleep quality are three times more likely to experience postpartum depression
• Mothers sleeping less than 7 hours at 6 months postpartum showed signs of accelerated epigenetic aging at 12 months
• Sleep disruption affects cognitive function, emotional regulation, and physical recovery from childbirth
• Chronic sleep debt impacts immune function and increases risk for various health problems

When Does It Get Better?

Here's the tough news: it takes longer than you think. While the 44-day figure covers the first year, some research suggests parents don't return to pre-baby sleep levels for up to six years.

The good news? The worst is over after those first five months. Sleep gradually improves as babies develop better sleep patterns and start sleeping through the night. By age two, most parents are back to losing only about an hour per night—still not ideal, but manageable.

So if you're a sleep-deprived parent reading this at 3 AM during a feeding, know that you're not alone. Those 44 days of lost sleep are a shared experience among parents worldwide, and eventually—eventually—you will sleep again.