How to Sleep Better as a Mom
The school year started last week for my girls and we are slowly getting back into a routine. It’s been a bit difficult getting back into our routine. During the summer, I stayed up late each night and caught up on work, watched television, read books, or listened to podcasts. Things have changed though, and I need to get used to going to bed early. We set our alarms for 6:15 a.m. in the morning and I have to make sure we are all ready to leave the house by 7:30 a.m. each morning. This means that I have to get adequate sleep so that I can get everyone up and dressed in the morning for a successful school day and so that I can have a successful work day as well.
Sleep is important and I’ll be heading to bed earlier this school year. The first few nights have been rough for me. I’ve been tossing and turning at bedtime and every now and then I’ll glance at the clock to see what time it is. I get really frustrated when I see that it’s past 1 a.m. and I’m still awake. I know that I don’t do well on just a few hours of sleep.
I’m working on getting a full 8 hours of sleep each night, but there’s a lot I need to work on before this happens. Here’s a few of my personal tips that I’m trying this back-to-school season!
Set a specific bed time and stick to it each night.
When I tell myself when I need to go to bed, the chances of me getting to bed on time are higher than when I just decide each night what my bedtime will be. Kids thrive on bedtime routines and we should, too. I set a goal this school year to be in bed by 10:00 p.m. each night. No more late nights trying to catch up on work and other tasks and feeling sluggish in the morning!
Avoid using electronics an hour before bed.
I’m guilty of using my phone before bed or watching television to help me fall asleep. However, the light and the glare from my devices could actually be delaying my sleep. This is going to be a hard tip to follow, but I know it’s best for me. I need to turn off these devices well in advance and try to use that hour for calming my mind instead.
Turn off all lights and shut the blinds.
Turn off all lights, shut the blinds, and cover any display light from cable boxes, alarm clocks, etc. I have a cable box in my room that gives off a bright blue light that bugs the mess out of me when I’m trying to sleep. I’ve been putting something in front of the box to block the light and that seems to be helping quite a bit! I also turn my alarm clock down on its face so that the green light isn’t glaring at me right next to my bed.
Take a warm bath at night.
I love a nice warm bath in the evenings when I know I need to get to sleep fast. I use a calming lavender body wash in my bath to help me to relax. It’s never a bad idea to play calming music during your bath as well!
Add white noise.
I can’t sleep without white noise in my room. I have a box fan that I use in my bedroom on medium setting to give the right amount of noise to help me fall and stay asleep. Just be sure that the noise isn’t too high or loud if you have little children that sometimes wake up in the middle of the night. You’ll want to make sure you can still hear them!
Use a Sleep Aid.
Still having a tough time getting to sleep even after following the tips above? Consider using a sleep aid! Be sure to talk to your doctor first to find a sleep aid that is right for you.
If you are struggling with getting sleep, the following tips above may help!
What tips do you have for getting better sleep at night?
These are really great tips! I too stay up later during the Summer and have to force myself to have an earlier bed time once school’s back in session. While I don’t have problems falling asleep right away, my husband does so I’ll have to see if he’d be willing to take Melatonin. He does need to stop reading/using his iPad in bed with the lights out. I always tell him he’s stimulating his brain doing that, making it harder for him to relax to be able to fall asleep. Thanks for the tips!
My husband and I are both guilty of using our devices at night. We are getting better at turning them off in advance so that we can fall asleep easier!
All your tips are really good! I have had a few bad nights lately. I often take Melatonin and it always helps. Thanks so much for the coupon offer!
Thanks for the comment. I’m sorry you are having bad nights, but hopefully they get better soon!
I need to try a sleep aid and also cut off technology before bed. I have had the roughest time sleeping for weeks now.
Not being able to fall asleep is definitely frustrating. The Melatonin sure does help me fall asleep easily and I no longer have sleep issues!
Melatonin is the only thing I’ll take to help me sleep. It’s naturally made by the body, so it’s safe.
I’ve heard of friends really loving melatonin to help them sleep. I do my best work at night – a true nightowl, so a regular schedule is hard.
I have a friend that takes melatonin and she says it helps her a lot. I don’t have a problem falling asleep, but I should let myself sleep more.
I’m guilty of bringing electronics to bed. No, not that kind – my iPad! It keeps me awake too long.
Thanks so much for sharing these great tips! There are times when I have major sleeping issues. I’ll be giving these a shot.
I need to start taking melatonin I bet it would really help! I am trying to avoid screen time before bed too,.
These are great tips, I use melatonin for the kids. My oldest only takes it sometimes but the boys take it almost every night!
I use to have a hard time sleeping a few years back and barely slept 5 hours per day. For some odd reason, I started to watch Married with Children and it bored me to sleep. I love the show but at 3 in the morning it can be very boring lol.
These are such great tips. I have a difficult time sleeping at night and part of that may be due to my occupation. I am on my computer very late at night, even right before bed, then I go in and toss and turn for sometimes and hour before falling asleep. Thank you for the gentle reminder to take some time out before trying to get some rest.
I use Melatonin too to help me sleep! Love Nature’s Bounty products, especially their B-12 melting tablets in cherry flavor.
I have such a hard time shutting off the computer. I watch TV and work.
I love these tips and #2 is one I need to start doing more. I am usually on the computer until late and I find that once I get into bed, I am thinking about a list of stuff I need to get done. My daughter takes Melatonin, she has a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep and these really help her.
Great tips! I try to follow these tips for a good night’s sleep. I also like to have a warm cup of tea before bed.
I eat a banana before bed and it helps me settle down