A good nights sleep is hard
to find and so you learn to sleep when you can - and where you can. A friend of mine was so desperate for sleep that she told her hubby she was going to the loo, handed him the baby, shut herself in the bathroom and napped with her head on the the sink for 20 minutes! Whilst working on a gym floor, I used to sneak off to the 'sick bay' at lunchtime to catch a 15-minute snooze on the couch. Another friend used to take her baby for a long drive to get him to sleep and when he did nod off she'd pull to the side of the road, set her watch and take a 10-minute power nap herself. She also looked forward to her twice-weekly outing to the 'Babes in Arms' sessions at her local cinema. Who cared what movie was playing....?
It may not seem like much but creative 'napping' can be just what you need to get you through the next toddler temper-tantrum or the hourly baby breastfeeding battle through the night. And even though you may find that you're now getting far less sleep than you want - there are ways to improve the quality of sleep and general
restfulness throughout the day. Try these 8 ways to get a better sleep:
1. Get your bedroom right. There are three things you can do to
get a better sleep:
- Use your bedroom for sleeping and sex only. Don’t do homework, watch television or send emails in bed.
- Just like in your baby's room, make sure your room is pitch dark while you’re sleeping (get curtains made from heavyweight or blackout material if needed).
- Also ensure that the room is a comfortable temperature, it should be towards cool rather than warm. Do you need a new mattress, pillows or doona? If so, making these purchases could make a real difference.
Aim to go to bed at the same time each night and follow a predictable routine leading up to bedtime ie. 60-30 minutes before you go to bed. For instance, once the baby has gone down for the night, you might listen to soothing music, read a relaxing book, shower, brush your teeth and get into your PJ's. Your body will recognise that it’s time to start winding down.
3. Recognise and commit to managing your stress
Many people who suffer from sleep issues struggle with managing stress. If you think stress and anxiety are getting in the way of a good night’s sleep, get these issues under control. Try a little extra exercise, meditation or yoga to bring stillness to your mind or seek professional help from your GP, child health nurse or health care provider.
4. Avoid caffeine and alcohol at night
Especially right before bedtime, they'll work against getting a good night's sleep. Try cutting them right down or out completely if your sleep is severely disturbed. Be aware that dark chocolate contains caffeine and may also contribute to sleeplessness.
5. Burn or apply calming essential oils
Use lavender in a bath or on pulse points or use an essential oil burner as part of your ‘before-bed- preparation-routine’. After a while, just the smell of Lavender will trigger a sensation of ‘rest/release’ for you. Seek advice if you are breastfeeding when applying oils to your skin as to which are safe for both you and the baby and although Lavender is a very safe oil for everyone, it’s good practice to burn oils once baby is out of the room.
6. Don't over-hydrate
Slurping too much liquid in the evening guarantees you'll be making extra trips to the loo long after midnight. Even though your body helps by naturally reducing urine production while you sleep, it's a good idea to cut off liquids at least an hour before going to bed.
7. Start Turning the Lights
Down During the Early Evening
Our bodies are programmed to go to sleep with the sun and get up
with the sun. Our circadian rhythms are longer than 24 hours and need
the light to help us reset each day. At night, go from bright to
dimmer lights as you move toward the bedtime. This simulates a time
of dusk, which naturally helps our bodies prepare for sleep. For
a lot of Mums, especially in the early days, this means going to bed
not long after putting the baby down (sorry - not the time to catch up on re-runs of your favourite TV program!)8. Swap warm milk for cherry juice
While milk does have small amounts of tryptophan, the hormone that induces sleep, it's not for everyone. Instead, you could try a morning and evening glass of tart cherry juice - which contains the sleep hormone melatonin. According to a recent British study, people who drink it regularly sleep an extra 25 minutes - and more deeply - than those who don't. That's gotta be worth a try....zzzzzzzzzzzzz
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