As a mother of two, I can give you plenty of reasons why I’m not getting enough sleep and I’m pretty sure that many parents can relate to that. If you think of it, the long working hours (office or home), the increased home duties and in general a pretty busy lifestyle can lead to sleep deprivation or problems. But I’m here to tell you that it gets better and with some minor adjustments, you can get a good night’s sleep and wake up feeling better than ever. How? Well read on and let’s see!
Try to change your lifestyle a bit
Did you notice that I wrote a “bit”? I say that because you don’t need to change your lifestyle at 360 degrees in order to get some well-deserved rest, you just need to make some small adjustments. First of all, if you’re a coffee-lover, like me, try to cut back on caffeine, especially at night.
Caffeine’s effects can last up to 8 hours in our bodies, so if I were you, I would stick to my morning coffee and consider a caffeine-free tea in the afternoon. Sadly, caffeine isn’t the only substance that can disrupt sleep, eating chocolate before bed can have the same stimulating impact on the brain, making sleep difficult to come by.
Consider the right temperature
I don’t know about you, but I can’t sleep in a very warm bedroom, even if it’s very cold outside. The ideal temperature for falling asleep is around 20 degrees Celsius, so set your heater or air conditioner’s thermostat to this range whenever possible. It is also very important that you ventilate the room daily in order to get some much-needed fresh air inside.
Since we are talking about a good night’s sleep, I have to mention the importance of good quality bedding in order to achieve that. A good mattress, pillow and good duvet covers will make all the difference and will help you fall asleep faster and have a good night’s rest.
Leave all devices out
I have to be honest with you. One of my guilty pleasures is to have some screen time at the end of the day when everyone is asleep and before I go to bed. It’s like catching up on everything if you want, but this pleasure of mine brought me nothing but insomnia and I’m here to tell you it’s not ok.
When we use a smartphone in the bedroom, we typically waste time that should be spent sleeping by idly scrolling through news and social media. That’s why it’s important to close your phone or at least put it on silent when you go to sleep. That way you won’t be interrupted in case you receive a message or an email and you can get a good and uninterrupted rest.
Try setting up a bedtime routine
Have you ever wondered why it is so important to create a bedtime routine for our children, especially when they are small? Well, it turns out that our sleep cycles and circadian rhythms work best when we stick to a schedule.
I know that it’s not always possible to go to bed at the same hour every day, but you can at least try. Also, take a long, relaxing bath every night, and you’ll notice how it not only relaxes you but also helps you sleep like a baby.
I am aware that sleep is a delicate subject and that it’s a major problem for some people but try to implement these small changes and see if you notice a difference, I would really love to hear that they helped!
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