Co-sleeping is a controversial topic, which often focuses on the safety of the infant. But, a new study finds that it could affect mothers as well. Researchers at Northwestern University studied the optimal daily rhythm in women’s stress hormones. Ideally, levels of the stress hormone cortisol are high in the morning, to prepare a person for the day and low in the evening, to allow us to sleep. People with low cortisol levels from morning to evening are more likely to be in good cardiovascular health or to survive cancer.
195 women in a Chicago suburb had their saliva tested 6 months after giving birth. Samples were collected when the participants woke up, 30 minutes after waking, and at bedtime. The women with the best stress hormone patterns were those who breastfed but did not share a bed with their baby. Their cortisol levels had the steepest declines; a sign of good health. Those who didn’t breastfeed, or who co-slept, had less than optimal daily rhythms.
Breastfeeding is known to reduce stress. Sharing a bed with an infant could increase worry and cause more sleep problems for the mother, reflected in her stress hormones.
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