Parenting App Huckleberry & Harvard Center on the Developing Child Reveal Data Linking Infant Sleep to Parental Mental Health Challenges
Research shows a direct link between sleep deprivation in low income families leading to stronger risks of depression, anxiety and stress
IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Huckleberry, an app that pairs data science, pediatric sleep experts, and AI to help navigate parenting challenges, is releasing the results of a pilot study that examines how a scalable, app-based sleep intervention can impact infant sleep and parental mental health, specifically for low income families. The study was conducted as part of the Harvard Center on the Developing Child's (HCDC) Scaling Impact Portfolio.
It is common for new parents to experience spikes in stress. Families with low income are at a particularly high risk for developing sleep-related problems, and in turn, experiencing the negative effects associated with poor sleep due to excessive stress in their environment.
Mothers tend to face particular risk, often experiencing loneliness due to physical recovery, frequent breastfeeding, longer parental leave, and other factors. Lack of sleep can also worsen depression symptoms in mothers with postpartum depression.
The Huckleberry study sought to examine maternal levels of depression, anxiety and stress in low-income families who were caring for a young child and experiencing sleep-related issues. Out of the 79 participating families, 93% of participants who implemented at least some of their sleep plan reported an improvement in their child's sleep. In addition:
- 77.7% of participants who began with a non-normal level of depression moved into the normal range
- 88.8% of participants who began with a non-normal level of anxiety moved into the normal range
- 87.5% participants who began with a non-normal level of stress moved into the normal range.
Studies have shown that the social impact of sleep deprivation contributes to nearly three-quarters of parents feeling "cut off" from social life after having children, lending itself to feelings of loneliness, depression, anxiety and stress. "There is an inequality around access to mental health services that needs to be addressed and this study sheds light on the fact that families, especially those of low-income, need to be properly supported," said Corey Ann Zimmerman, Chief Program Officer at Harvard Center on the Developing Child.
Overall, the intervention was effective with more than 90% of participants saying that it improved their infant's sleep. The findings confirm that sleep is critical for health and well-being and has a direct correlation on mental health. You can read more about these findings, how sleep impacts families and what you can do to create a conducive sleep environment on Huckleberry's blog.
Huckleberry has made a commitment to make health and wellness, as well as pediatric expertise, more accessible to every family. To do this, they offer a free version of their app, in addition to paid plans that start at less than $5 a month. Because of the increased mental and financial strain on families due to the pandemic, Huckleberry also introduced a "pay what you can" program in early 2021 and has given away nearly 4,000 subscriptions since the company's inception.
About Huckleberry
Huckleberry is an app that pairs data science, pediatric sleep experts, and AI to provide accessible, expert advice to every family. The company has served 1.2 million families across the globe with custom sleep guidance, maintained a 4.9 star rating on the Apple App Store, and raised $16 million in venture capital funding from Morningside Ventures, Spero Ventures, and Tamarisc Ventures. For more information, please visit https://huckleberrycare.com/ or follow on Instagram @huckleberrycare.
Contact:
Kristy Carabello
[email protected]
SOURCE Huckleberry
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