Bridging Digital Health, Sleep Science, and Maternal Mental Health: My Personal Story

Research Spotlight Blog No. 7

Abiola Saka holds a BSc. Computer Science from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria and went on to have an MSc Degree in Computer Science from the African University of Science and Technology(AUST), Abuja, Nigeria. He is currently in the final phase of his PhD research at the Digital Health and Care CDT, University of Bristol. His work bridges technology, healthcare strengthening and innovation.

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I did not set out to become a Digital Health and Care researcher. My journey started with a competition in 2016 – the  African Grand Challenge in NM-AIST Arusha, Tanzania – looking at the impact of Digital Technologies on Healthcare Services for women and their families. My team and I pitched our first prize-winning digital solution for curbing maternal sepsis in sub-Saharan Africa. It was adventurous, exciting, intense and eye-opening. But the real turning point would later emerge exactly four years later.

I had a first-hand lived experience of what I would later come to understand as Postpartum psychosis – not through my own mental health journey, but through supporting someone very close to me. I witnessed the psychological, emotional and relational impact of this condition, and this greatly shaped my understanding of how critical maternal mental health is, not just for the immediate family but the entire community.  This is much more important in the African context, where mental health conditions aren't something people talk about in open discussion, especially maternal mental health. You are just expected to be strong, grateful, and just ”get on with it”. The key takeaway from it all is that it made me realise how invisible maternal mental health challenges can be, and how urgently we need tools that help mothers feel seen, supported and understood.

Some of the maternal mental health challenges

Fast forward to today – I am doing a PhD in Digital Health and Care, focusing on how early life sleep and circadian rhythm disruption contribute to increased risks of psychiatric disorders in young people with neurodevelopmental conditions. Specifically, I work with data from wearable devices like Fitbit, portable EEG devices and digital sleep diaries to come up with a multimodal toolkit that can be used for longitudinal assessment of sleep health in this population, and relate these to psychiatric outcomes. It is technical, yes! – but it is basically about understanding the connection between our bodies and minds, and how we can use that knowledge to support people better.

Although my current work focuses on young people, it is relevant to maternal health. Sleep disruption is a huge part of the postpartum experience, and it is often brushed aside as “normal.” But poor sleep can be a warning sign - just like in the young population I study. I believe we can take what we are learning from youth sleep science and apply it to maternal mental health. Imagine a digital tool that helps mothers track their sleep, mood, and stress levels, and gives them personalised feedback or alerts when things start to go off track. Not just another app - but something that actually understands the rhythms of motherhood.

One of my post-PhD plans is to build a digital maternal mental health platform. It would use wearable technology and behavioural data to help mothers monitor their wellbeing, get early support, and feel less alone. This vision is deeply connected to my current research, as sleep disruption and mood changes often precede severe conditions like postpartum depression or psychosis. Building on what I have learned about longitudinal monitoring and predictive modelling, the platform could provide personalised insights, timely alerts, and culturally sensitive support, especially in African contexts where stigma is high and access to care is limited.

This whole thing is far more than research for me – it is personal. I have lived the gaps in maternal mental health care, felt the danger of the deafening silence and now, I want to be part of the narrative towards change -  because every mother deserves to be seen, supported and understood

If you are working in mental health, digital innovation, or mental health advocacy, I would love to connect. I believe together, we can build something that will make a real difference.

Blog by Abiola Saka