Sleep? What’s sleep? I am sure I left it behind me when I had my daughter almost 2 years ago. The conversation about sleep is never-ending, and if you were someone who LOVED their sleep and couldn’t survive on less than 8 hours, then it’s probably been a hard slog when raising a busy toddler.
I am in the camp of love, love, loved my sleep. I enjoy lazy lie ins and do miss those. It’s a new normal now and I do appreciate how much I can get done before 9am these days.
Yet, are there things we can do to support us to get a good night’s sleep even when it feels like the art of impossible?
Here are a few tips to consider as you put your jim jams on tonight:
- Be sure to relax
That’s what this blog is all about. The need to prioritise our self-care as mums, and find time to pause, breathe and relax. There are many ways to do this such as reading, having a long soak in the bath, having a cuppa (chamomile is the perfect accompaniment to bed time) or journaling.
Related blog posts:
7 reasons why reading is good for mums
7 things to make part of your Sunday routine
2. Minimise or completely remove technology
A digital detox just before bed can help you switch off better and quicker. Why? as the blue light emitted by your phone suppresses the sleep hormone, so introduce a cut off 1 hour before bed or ban devices from the bedroom.
Related blog post: Why a digital detox is great for busy mums
3. Create a restful environment
Think about whether your bedroom invites you in or not. Is it calming or is there a lot of clutter in there. What kind of ambience is it giving off – think about scents such as lavender to soothe, lighting with the use of lamps or a candle or music that can help get you ready for bed. Plus the comfort of your bed itself. We spend so much our lives in bed, why be cheap on it, right? Also definitely temperature check, too hot and it can be unbearable and vice-versa.
Related blog post: How to Hygge: 15 ways to bring hygge into your life
4. Work it out
Getting some exercise into our routine can really aid our sleep. Sleep is just as important as eating healthy and exercising so it’s worth ensuring it is prioritised just as much.
5. Don’t watch that clock
Are you like me and guilty of laying in bed working out how many hours you have to sleep before you have to be up for the day? Don’t do it! It’s awful. Try not to clock watch as it won’t help. Perhaps try to read a chapter of a book, listen to a podcast or do some meditation to naturally fall asleep.
6. Opt for herbal tea
Instead of a caffeine hit late in the day, instead try a herbal tea like chamomile or peppermint that are caffeine free. It still provides that calming effect but in a way that you won’t regret later on.
7. Stay positive and shift the self-talk
Interrupted sleep is the worse and can really impact sleep quality. However one thing I’ve learned is to not clock watch and just go with it, not to count the number of wakes, and to remain positive out loud even when internally I feel the complete opposite. ‘Today is going to be an incredible day’, rather than ‘Today is going to be a mess, I was woken up three times’. I’ve shifted my internal and external dialogue and it does weirdly help.
8. Head to bed early or on time
It’s easy to stay up because you want to watch that show or you feel you deserve it after a hard day. However, getting enough sleep is important and if your little one will sleep well for the first part of the night, maximise on that so you’re ready to go in those early hours.
What do you do to help you get through the tough night’s and general keep your sleep routine in tip-top shape?