Mums and dads lose the equivalent of 50 nights of sleep in their baby’s first year, study finds

Oh dear.

A study has found that new parents will get just four hours and 44 minutes sleep on an average night in the first year of their baby's life. This means that over their little one's first 52 weeks, mums and dads will sleep 59 per cent less than the average recommendation of eight hours a night. It also equals out to the equivalent of 50 nights of sleep, according to The Sun.  The study, commissioned by sleep technology brand Simba, also found that mums and dads spend an average of 54 minutes a day trying to get their bundle to doze off. And parents will pace the equivalent of two miles a day while rocking their baby each day and night - making 730 miles in 12 months. The respondents said that newborns wake three times a night, on average, after they get home - and many couples (66 per cent) felt that baby-related sleep deprivation has led to arguments. 11 per cent of parents said that lack of sleep caused them to hallucinate, while almost a half (44 per cent) lost their train of thought mid-sentence. 8 per cent even admitted to forgetting their baby's name. Steve Reid, boss of sleep technology brand Simba, said on the findings:

“When your baby sleeps well you sleep better and that sets everyone up for the day. “The fallout from sleeplessness can push people to the their limits.”