The Role of Circadian Rhythms in Postpartum Sleep and Mood

Kari Grethe Hjorthaug Gallaher1, Anastasiya Slyepchenko2, Benicio N Frey3

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Stavanger University Hospital, Gerd Ragna Bloch Thorsens Gate 8, 4011 Stavanger, Norway.

Sleep Medicine Clinics
|August 13, 2018
PubMed

Women often experience sleep disturbances and worsening sleep quality throughout pregnancy and postpartum. Circadian rhythms are closely linked to sleep problems and mood disorders. This systematic review provides a summary of studies of circadian rhythms and associated sleep problems and maternal distress, among postpartum women. Articles were idenitfied through a systematic literature search. Circadian rhythm disturbances were strongly correlated with depression, social factors and mothers`s exposure to light postpartum. Future research should include larger, prospective studies as well as randomized controlled trials for measuring effect of circadian rhythm interventions on postpartum mental health outcomes.

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