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?