10 Ways to Get a Better Nights Sleep — Now that the kiddos are all settling in at school, you’d think that it would be easier for us moms to get a better night’s sleep. In theory anyway. Gone are the late nights of trying to persuade dirty summer feet into baths and then bed.
Routines are back, and bed times can be strictly enforced. Now is the perfect time to make sure YOU get a better night of sleep by developing your own sleep routine.
Here are some tips to get you started:
Stay on a regular schedule. Have a strict bedtime and wake at a regular time–every day, not just week days. Your body will naturally fall into its own rhythm {that’s how I am able to early easy pleasy…most days.}
Naps aren’t just for babies.
If you have a little downtime during the day {pausing so that you can look up what “downtime” means. Ha!}, treat yourself to a little cat nap. It’s a better way to pay off a sleep debt than sleeping in on Saturday, because it doesn’t really affect your natural sleep rhythms.
Eat foods that help induce a good nights rest. Yep, some foods actually help you sleep better. And no, ice cream isn’t one of them.
Make sure to get plenty of natural light during the day. This helps your body regulate itself to waking hours vs. sleeping hours. If you get plenty of daylight hours, your body should naturally relax as the sun goes down.
Stop watching T.V. and using the computer at least an hour before bed. It stimulates your mind and makes it harder to fall asleep. I am pretty good about this one and it really does help!
Make sure your room is comfortable.
It should be dark and cool. So, throw a towel over the alarm clock and drown out all of the light.
Exercise regularly. Regular exercise leads to better, deeper sleep.
Limit caffeine to the morning hours only. Caffeine can still affect your quality of sleep for up to 12 hours, so it’s best to switch to herbal tea and decaf soda/coffee when the clock hits p.m.
Take showers/baths before bed instead of the morning. The warm water will relax you.
If you lay awake with your mind racing, try journaling or writing out your schedule for the next day before bed. It will be like a catharsis. You’ll be able to either get the day off of your chest, or see that with some planning, you can get what you need to get done tomorrow without worrying about it tonight.
So there you have it, my 10 ways to get a better nights sleep. What are some of the methods YOU use?
Sweet Dreams,
~Mavis
Lana says
I bet you have done all of that and it did not help! Try vetiver essential oil to calm the mind. I don’t even put it on. Most likely a sniff or three will do it. Another biggie is hormones if you are over 40 and natural progesterone cream could be the key to that one. Read one of Dr John R Lee Jr books on premenopause for that one. The other real culprit is that your liver is junked up. It will wake you up between 1 and 3 because that is when the liver does it’s flushing and if it cannot do it you may never go back to sleep. Dandelion capsules are great for detoxing the liver. I did all of those things and now I sleep great whereas I used to onlt sleep 2-3 hours a night.
Jennifer says
I’m 55, and my ds turned me on to Melatonin. As we age, our bodies produce less so a supplement can help. I take two 3 mg tablets – mine melt under the tongue, then I chew the rest for maximum absorption – and my ability to fall asleep and stay asleep was transformed! Even the normal getting up to go to the bathroom was uneventful, I would get back in bed and fall right back to sleep. I get a bottle of 120 tablets at WM for $5.94 so definitely worth trying.
Kim says
Our kids are supposed to fly into Bangor on Sunday for a week’s vacation. What are you hearing about the storm?
Sorry to be so off topic.
Kim
Mavis Butterfield says
Lots of wind and rain. I’d check the forecast though because it seems to change almost hourly. I’d have a backup plan just in case. Hope everything works out okay! 🙂