sleep

This post is sponsored by Serta. All opinions are my own. Raise your hands if you’re one tired mama. I know My hands are high above my head right now. Despite my best attempts at getting enough sleep, there are still nights where I struggle. Now that my kids are finally out of diapers and completely potty trained, there aren’t many night-time events anymore. That’s been huge for my sleep quality, but there are still nights when one of them has a bad dream or they need to use the potty (and must have me tuck them back in). You know how it goes. If, like me, you’re struggling to get enough sleep, I’ve got 8 simple sleep tips for moms who are just plain busy and tired. Trying a few of these little things will help you feel more rested in no time! 8 Simple Sleep Tips for Moms 1. Get Blackout Shades Blackout curtains help create the perfect sleep environment. Light interrupts the sleep cycle and can mess up our circadian rhythm. Also, if you need to take a nap or you work odd hours, blackout shades can help create a night-time environment even during the day. For the mamas out there, you might also want to put blackout shades in your kids’ rooms, too. My kids used to get up at 5:30, and the night after I added blackout curtains, they ended up sleeping in until a bit before 7. Although they are still early-risers, I’ve noticed the blackout shades help a lot with keeping them in bed longer while also helping them fall asleep faster at nap time. The same applies for us mamas. Blackout curtains are a must! 2. Invest in a Quality Mattress Let me be honest for a minute: I’ve been sleeping on the same mattress for about a decade (I know, gross). Well, in my defense, it was a double-sided pillow top, so at least I flipped and rotated it with every move (remember when I moved to California from Arizona?). Needless to say, I’ve been in desperate need of a new mattress. If you’re having difficulty sleeping through the night, you might also be sleeping on an outdated mattress that should have been replaced eons ago. We finally decided to make the change and got a new Serta SleepToGo mattress online from Samsclub.com. I chose this mattress because I wanted to try a memory foam mattress and Serta is a brand that I trust. My last two mattresses were Serta brand and I’ve had each of them for more than a decade. Knowing that my other mattresses lasted for so long, I know the new mattress will deliver the same level of quality and longevity that my others did as well. Ordering the mattress on the Sam’s Club website was a total breeze. I am a member, so I also saved money on the purchase. Even if you aren’t a member, you can still order your mattress on the website. The cool thing about the Serta SleepToGo mattress is that it can be delivered right to your front door in a box. Once your bed arrives, the whole process of setting up the bed was such a breeze. After I cut away the plastic, I watched the foam miraculously expand. Seriously, it was crazy! In less than 10 seconds, we had a full-size queen mattress on our bed. You can tell from the pictures what an easy process it was. Moreover, it was fantastic to have a mattress delivered directly to my house. If you live near a Sam’s Club, you can also pick up the mattress. The box is definitely small enough to fit in most vehicles. Although the process was a breeze, what I love the most about my new Serta mattress is just how great I’ve been sleeping. I’m a pretty light sleeper, with even the slightest noise or movement waking me up. Since getting the new mattress, I’ve slept much more soundly and I’ve been waking up a lot more refreshed. If you’re having a rough time sleeping and you often feel sleep-deprived, you might want to consider just how long you’ve had your mattress. It might be time for a new one. 3. Watch What You Eat and Drink Have you noticed how you don’t sleep very well after eating a big meal or having one too many cocktails? Well, food and drinks can really mess with your body and sleep cycle. If you eat or drink too much, you might have major blood sugar spikes that will cause restless sleep. Likewise, too much alcohol can inhibit REM sleep. Also, make sure you’re not having too much caffeine in the afternoon or evening to help avoid those sleepless, jittery nights! 4. Create a Night Time Routine Just like we do for our littles, we need to have bedtime routines for ourselves. For me, my routine is pretty simple. I change into my pjs, wash my face, put on my nighttime face lotion and hand lotion, brush my teeth, watch a little TV, and then head to sleep. Oh, I usually check Instagram before bed too (I have a problem). I basically do the same exact thing every night, so the routine helps me to wind down. 5. Stick to a Sleep Schedule I know it’s tempting to stay up later on the weekends or to stay up late during the week to try to get caught up on everything else non-child-related. I’m here to tell you that it’s super important to stick with a sleep schedule. Our bodies get used to bedtimes and wake times. Consistency is key: the more you can be consistent, the better your quality of sleep will be. 6. Prep for Tomorrow One of the biggest reasons for disruptive sleep is that you have too many things on your mind that you haven’t let go of before you go to sleep. There are a few solutions to this dilemma. For me, it’s getting things done today and not putting them off until tomorrow. Now, this obviously can’t work for everything or everybody, but I try to get all of the potential morning tasks done the night before so that I’m not rushing around in the morning. For example, I pack my kids’ lunches while they are eating dinner so that I don’t have to make them in the morning. I’ve read that a great thing to do for all the tasks you can’t get to is to keep a journal or notebook next to your bed. If you can’t sleep because tasks are on your mind, write them down and let them go. It’ll all be there in the morning! 7. Avoid Long Naps If you have the time and are already taking naps, I’m jealous (ha). But if you are napping and then having difficulty sleeping at night or staying asleep at night, you might want to cut down or cut out your naps. You might just be getting too much sleep during the day, which will throw your sleep cycle out of whack. 8. Go to Sleep Earlier I sometimes feel kind of ridiculous for going to bed at 9pm (at the latest), but I’m always up at 6 so I tend to have a little bit of time to myself before the kids get up. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, try to figure out what your perfect amount is. For me, it’s between 8 and 9 hours. Any less, I feel groggy. Any more, and I still feel groggy. In order to figure out how much sleep you need, try to go to sleep 15 minutes earlier and try to wake up at the same time for several nights in a row. Try this technique until you feel like you’ve reached the perfect amount. You should wake up feeling rested and not like you need to sprint to get your caffeine. Most adults need 7-9 hours, although some require more and some require less. If you have young children, there is a good chance you’re still getting up with them in the middle of the night to change diapers or help them go to the potty. It’s very likely you aren’t getting enough sleep. Given all the interruptions, you might need up to 9 hours to get the full amount you actually need when taking into consideration the various interruptions. Remember: there’s no shame in going to bed early! I hope you found these simple sleep tips for moms useful. What other tricks do you use to get enough sleep to be the super mom that I know you are?

sleep

8 Simple Sleep Tips for Moms Who are Busy and Tired