Sleep deprivation, emotional burnout take silent toll on mothers: Experts

India has witnessed a major transformation in maternal healthcare over the past decade, with institutional deliveries reaching record levels and more women accessing formal medical care during pregnancy and childbirth.

According to government health data, over 97 per cent of births in 2023–24 took place in institutional settings, reflecting a sharp rise in hospital-based maternal care and improved healthcare access.

However, doctors say that while medical systems are becoming more advanced and childbirth outcomes are improving, an often-overlooked crisis continues to affect millions of mothers after delivery, chronic sleep deprivation, emotional exhaustion and long-term physical strain.

Medical experts warn that motherhood-related fatigue is frequently normalised in Indian households despite its significant impact on hormonal balance, mental health, immunity, metabolism and cardiovascular well-being.

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‘Sleep is not a luxury’: Experts warn of long-term health impact

Dr. Alka Chaudhary, Senior Consultant-Obstetrician and Gynecologist at Madhukar Rainbow Children’s Hospital, said that many mothers continue to function despite severe exhaustion caused by night-time feeding schedules, household responsibilities, commuting and childcare demands.

“Over time, many mothers begin to accept constant tiredness as normal, but prolonged lack of quality sleep can seriously affect physical and emotional health,” she said.

Experts said that inadequate sleep affects hormone regulation, immunity, metabolism and emotional resilience. Long-term sleep deprivation may contribute to anxiety, irritability, poor concentration, high blood pressure, diabetes risk and increased cardiovascular complications.

Dr. Tripti Raheja, Director-Obstetrics and Gynaecology at CK Birla Hospital, said chronic fatigue can gradually erode emotional stability and increase vulnerability to stress and postpartum mental health conditions.

“Mothers often continue functioning in a state of daily exhaustion while balancing childcare and household responsibilities. Over time, this can affect memory, emotional resilience and overall well-being,” she said.

Both specialists stressed that sleep should be viewed as a biological necessity rather than a luxury. They recommended simple interventions such as maintaining consistent sleep schedules, reducing screen exposure before bedtime and sharing parenting responsibilities within families.

Brain fog, emotional burnout and the hidden neurological toll

Neurologists also warn that prolonged sleep disruption can have a measurable impact on brain function.

Dr. Praveen Gupta, Chairman of the Marengo Asia International Institute of Neuro & Spine (MAIINS), said mothers often carry a “constant cognitive load” while multitasking between childcare, professional responsibilities and household work.

“Mothers carry multiple emotions simultaneously and hardly sleep. Beyond motherhood, they continue handling several other responsibilities, placing a heavy burden on the brain,” he said during a recent webinar on women’s health.

According to Dr. Gupta, prolonged exhaustion may contribute to brain fog, memory lapses and symptoms resembling pseudodementia caused by chronic stress and inadequate rest.

“Sleep is the body’s restorative charging mechanism,” he said, recommending six to eight hours of quality sleep or daytime naps wherever possible to compensate for interrupted sleep cycles.

Mental health experts increasingly argue that maternal healthcare discussions in India remain disproportionately focused on childbirth while postnatal recovery, emotional health and long-term neurological well-being receive less attention.

Rising medicalisation of maternity care increasing financial pressure

The changing maternal healthcare sector is also becoming financially more demanding.

Government data presented in 2025 showed that Caesarean-section deliveries accounted for more than 27 per cent of births during 2024–25, underlining the growing medicalisation of childbirth in India.

At the same time, industry data indicates rising healthcare costs associated with maternity care, particularly among women above the age of 35 and in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities where institutional healthcare access is expanding rapidly.

Health experts warn that while hospital-based deliveries and formal antenatal care have improved maternal safety, nutritional deficiencies, postnatal stress and recovery-related health gaps continue to remain major concerns.

A recent assessment by Care Health Insurance also pointed to increasing cost intensity in women’s healthcare and maternity-related treatment, particularly in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities and among women above 35 years of age.

Commenting on the trend, Manish Dodeja, Executive Director and Chief Business Officer at Care Health Insurance, said maternity healthcare costs are rising even as institutional care becomes more widespread and efficient.

Public health experts say the larger challenge now is ensuring that maternal healthcare extends beyond safe delivery to include nutritional recovery, emotional support, mental health care and long-term wellness monitoring.

Doctors say the broader challenge now lies not only in ensuring safe childbirth, but also in recognising motherhood as a long-term health issue requiring emotional support, adequate recovery and sustained medical attention well beyond delivery.

They argue that conversations around maternal health in India must evolve from survival and delivery outcomes to overall physical, neurological and psychological well-being.