5 Proven Ways To Sleep Better As A Mom Tonight

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 As a result of loud neighbors, I recently went several nights in a row without getting any sleep.

My skin felt dry, my digestion was off, and my to-do list sat undone.  

And I started snapping at my kids left and right. 

When we miss out on sleep for several days in a row we inevitably find ourselves struggling.  

We become less productive, less focused, less patient and less happy.  

In short, we become rotten mommies.

 By making these 5 changes to your routine, you can sleep better as a mom starting tonight!

1. Decide what time you want to be asleep.  

We’re not talking about the time that you want to lay in bed and start scrolling through Pinterest.

This should be the actual time on the clock that you want your body to be sleeping by.

2. Put the kids to bed no later than 2 hours before your goal sleep time. 

If you want to be asleep by 10pm you should walk out the door of your child’s bedroom by 8pm.

If you want to allow them to read in bed once you you’ve said goodnight that’s up to you.  

But they need to stay in their own room until morning.

3. Develop a bedtime routine for yourself.  

Once the kids are in bed, spend the time before you go to sleep doing things that signal your body to relax.  

Read, drink something warm, take a bath or whatever else helps you unwind.  

Once you find the combination that works for you stick to it.  

In time the start of your bedtime routine will prime you to slip right into sleep.

4. Share your plans.  

Let the people in your life most likely to contact you near bedtime know what time you will become unavailable.  

This includes any other adults in the household and anyone else in the habit of reaching out at night.  

This gives those people the opportunity to schedule any conversation or task that they may want you to participate in for another time of day.

5. Turn off your screens 60 minutes before you want to sleep.  

The light from our mobile devices reduces levels of the sleep hormone melatonin in our bodies.  

It’s easy to fall into the habit of watching television or browsing Facebook in the hour leading up to bedtime.  

Sometimes we feel we’ve earned that downtime.  

Unfortunately reduced levels of melatonin interfere with sleep and are also linked to cancer.  

Leave the last hour before you close your eyes screen-free.  

Use this time to read a book or indulge in some self-care.

Sleep better so you can wake better.

There are times for all of us when a good night’s sleep just isn’t in the cards.  

Times when neighbors or soccer games or illnesses get in the way.  

Don’t waste time beating yourself up over those occasions.  

Go forward knowing that when deciding what to cut from your busy day to make room for something else, sleep is no longer an option.

Commit to following these five simple steps to start every day as a well-rested mom, and get the whole family’s day off on the right foot tomorrow!

• Set your bedtime
• Get the kids to bed
• Have a bedtime routine
• Tell others
• Unplug early

What about you? Do you have any tips for getting enough sleep as a busy mom?