Anna Friel speaks of strains of balancing acting with motherhood

London, June 24: Anna Friel has revealed how she juggles between her acting career and motherhood, saying she once went without sleep for seven days.The former Brookside star spoke about the gruelling time when she was sleep deprived as she shot for Goal! in Spain in 2005 while her daughter was just a baby.

“The ground was moving and I felt I was going to faint. If you can get through that, you can get through anything. You get so over-tired,” The Telegraph quoted her as telling Closer magazine. “You want to be there for your child at night - and I was still breastfeeding, but then I’d get to the point where I couldn’t sleep when I did get to bed. It went on and on. Eventually, a doctor gave me a sleeping tablet and I slept for a weekend," she added. The 32-year-old further said it was not easy trying to reach a balance between personal and professional life. She said: “I’d be a liar if I said it was easy.” She continued: “I think it’s very different nowadays for working mothers. Before, a woman could take two years off - a year for her pregnancy and then the first year, but I don’t think that’s possible for women in show business or in any industry any more. “You just have to keep going - keep looking forward. If you stop, you’re like, ‘Oh God, it’s too overwhelming’. And believe me, I’ve had my fair share of those moments.” ANI