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How To Get A Good Nights Sleep
Good sleep is without a doubt essential to our wellbeing. With more and more people suffering from insomnia (the majority of those being women), it is imperative that we hone in on our sleeping habits and make them the best we possibly can. Sleep deprivation has been associated with hypertension, obesity, diabetes and depression (just to name a few). Throughout this post we will discuss some of the effects of sleep deprivation and tips to help take back the rest we crave.
You’re Exhausted
We’ve all done it. Been absolutely worn out, lay down and our mind starts racing. Replaying scenarios from the day, questioning whether you answered that email or planning tomorrow’s agenda. The ability to turn this off seems out of reach. However, I have started placing a notepad by my bed. When my mind starts having a field day, I turn on the lamp and write bullet points of everything on my mind. I can then go to sleep knowing my list will be waiting in the morning. It definitely takes some practice, but it has helped.
Never Too Old For A Bedtime
Regardless of the culprit causing your insomnia, a consistent bed-time routine can help. Most people cannot switch instantly from their daytime self to sleep mode. This is where a transitional period of about an hour can really help. Within that time frame, taper off any stimulating and stressful activities and begin your wind down routine. This may include a warm bath, meditation, or reading. The key is to find something that relaxes you and gets your mind settled.
Keep It Dark
Although it may sound obvious, it bears repeating: A dark, quiet room not only encourages sleep, but helps falling back to sleep easier. Darkness triggers the production of melatonin, the hormone that signals your body that it’s time to wind down. Blackout shades can help with this, just be sure to splash yourself with daylight in the morning to shut down the melatonin production. It is also thought that your bed should be positioned where you can see the door. Based on Feng Shui, it helps you feel in control of the room so you can relax more easily. Worth a shot to test it out!
Tune Out The Noise
Whether you live on a busy street, or your bed buddy moonlights as a chainsaw, earplugs may become your best friend. These are perfect for me when I’m reading, comfy to sleep in and my son uses them when he weed eats the yard. They are soft, reusable, affordable and you can still hear the alarm clock, win win! I also use this white noise machine to drown out nighttime distractions (the ocean setting is my fave!). I’ve even taken it camping!
Shelf The Electronics
It is best to keep your tv and other electronic devices out of the bedroom. Not only does the light that is emitted stimulate your nervous system, it hinders melatonin production. Try a comfy chair with a soft over head light to use for reading when winding down, then slide into bed when you start feeling drowsy. Wake up for more than 20 minutes in the middle of the night? Sit in your chair for a few minutes and read, instead of tossing and turning in bed. The key is to associate your bed with sleep. However, if the curiosity gets the best of you and you absolutely must check your phone, I urge you to get a pair of these glasses! They are super affordable, lightweight and come with two pairs in case your little gamer steals a pair!
Exhaust All Options
With the heightened awareness of the overall benefits of sleep, methods and medication to help you get a good nights sleep are everywhere! Although, there are cases when medications (both prescribed and over the counter) are the only thing that will help, I encourage you to exhaust all other options first. Because, chances are, you will build up a tolerance to the medications and they will no longer be helpful. Whereas, behavioral modification can be successful and help get you back in sync, naturally. Which leads me to my next tip.
Appeal To Your Senses
The use of essential oils may sound a little taboo, but hear me out. We can all agree that our sense of smell can effect our mood (think fresh baked cookies…mmmm). The reason for this is because the chemical messengers in our nasal cavity have direct access to our brains. This allows them to reach the emotional center of our brain in seconds. I’m sure many of us moms have used eucalyptus vapor in humidifiers to help soothe our sick babies. Well, the same principle applies here. Don’t get discouraged thinking about how expensive essential oils are. Here are the ones I use, they are affordable, therapeutic grade and smell amazing! Once you are armed with your oil kit, you can start to play around with different “recipes”. I have this diffuser and it is perfect! It comes with two diffusers, has intermittent mist, continuous mist and doubles as a night light! To get you started, these are my favorite sleep blends for women and kids.
Women: 2 drops Tea Tree, 4 drops Lavender, 2 drops Ylang Ylang
Kids: 4 drops Lavender, 3 drops Chamomile
Take Away
With the ever growing list of demands that we put on our bodies, it is crucial that we get adequate rest. A tired body tends to fall asleep more easily, it’s dodging the effects of the outside forces we have to deal with and conquer. I truly hope than you will try these tips and hopefully find your relaxing, sleep inducing rhythm.
Have tips that have worked for you? Had success with the tips I’ve suggested? Please share your comments below.
We’re all in this together, T
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These are excellent suggestions
Thank you so much!
Yes! Sleep is so essential, especially as a mom. I have always been the type of person who requires more sleep than others and that is slightly frustrating sometimes. But, I know how much my mood and overall health is impacted if I don’t get enough sleep. Thanks for these tips, super helpful!
You are so welcome! Thank you for stopping by 🙂