9 Ways to Get Better Sleep as a Mom

People say you should sleep when your babies or children sleep, but it’s not always that easy to do. Sometimes when your little ones are sleeping you have to seize the opportunity to catch up on chores, meal prep for the week ahead, clean up the messes they’ve made or even just take some well-deserved “me time.”

Then, when you finally do get the chance to sleep, it won’t always be restful. There’s babies and children waking you up in the night, nighttime feedings for the littlest of offspring, worries and other general stressors. If you find yourself missing out on great sleep as a parent, you are not alone. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to ensure that your sleep is better and more up to the standard that you deserve.

1.  Avoid Caffeine Late In The Day

If you have a habit of consuming caffeinated beverages in the evening or close to bedtime, the buzz it leaves behind can last for hours beyond what you may imagine. Even a cup of coffee in the afternoon could ruin your chances of getting that ever-craved good sleep later that night, so it’s best to consume all of your caffeine in the morning time.

2. Evaluate Your Mattress

One way to get better sleep is to make sure your mattress is not contributing to poor sleep. Think about how long you’ve had your mattress. Even if you haven’t had it a decade, it still might not be the right mattress for you. Take the time to visit some mattress stores in the area to try out some different styles of mattresses with different types of firmness or softness. 

3.  Avoid Alcohol at Night

Sometimes alcohol can be as big a culprit as caffeine for ruining your sleeping time. Sure, it may help you feel drowsy and kick-start your night of sleep that way, but the sleep it brings won’t be restful. It’s likely that you’ll wake up in the middle of the night feeling wide-awake and you won’t know why. Bathroom trips, intense dreams and sweating are all a part of consuming alcohol too close to bedtime and will all contribute to a worse night of sleep.

4.  Avoid Screens

Televisions and even tablets and phones can ruin a night of good sleep. Try to put down your phone at least an hour before bedtime. Plug it in to charge in another room, switch it off, put it on silent or airplane mode and let your eyes and mind take a break from harsh lights and stimulation. 

5. Start Exercising

With kids, finding the time to exercise can be harder to find than Waldo. However, exercise can not only help tire you out during the day, but it will make you fitter. Maybe walk your kids to school instead of drive, go for a stroll on your lunch hour or suggest that your office hold walking meetings instead of sitting ones. Even light exercise is better than nothing.

6.  Track Your Cycle

This one may seem completely irrelevant, but hormonal changes during your menstrual cycle can influence your quality of sleep. It’s a good idea to take better care of yourself as you approach and pass through your monthly cycle. Consider getting something from your doctor to treat harsh PMS symptoms like bloating or general discomfort as these can also rob you of a good night’s sleep.

7. Establish A Routine

Having a good routine for your kids is already a given at bedtime, yet a good routine for you as a parent is important, too. As you go through the same motions every day before bed, your muscle memory will kick in and your body will get used to shutting down at a specific time or after a specific set of tasks. The smarter your body gets about this, the better your sleep will be.

8.  Relax

 It’s easier said than done, but relaxation is key to finding better sleep. Winding down before bed is crucial to getting better sleep. You can’t expect to hop straight into bed after a marathon of a day and shut off instantly. Deep breathing, meditation, gentle music or reclining and reading a good book are all wonderful ways to wind down after a long, hectic day and will help your brain be more relaxed in sleep, too.

9. Stop Worrying

It’s true that it’s not always easy to stop worrying. It’s not a switch you can toggle on and off. Goodness knows that if it was, you’d have it taped in the off position permanently. Your worries will all be there the next day and the next and the next, so schedule some proper time for worrying earlier in the day so it doesn’t creep into your bed with you and steal the sleep you desperately need right out of your grasp.