Softly to Sleep
You’re getting into the weeks where we start to focus on relaxation and winding down, so you’ll be hearing a lot from me this week.
Our bodies and minds respond to things we’ve trained them to do.
Now is the time to create a ritual to teach your mind it’s time to unwind and sleep. Think about putting the baby to bed (and perhaps getting a music/MP3 to create a ritual for baby), taking a warm bath, reading a little and then gently falling asleep. You need your sleep, and it will be a challenge to get enough of it while you adapt to being mom. The ritual will help your body relax when you want and need it to.
A recent U.S. government survey of 79,000 adults found that parents, and especially mothers, were more likely than all other adults to report insufficient sleep.
About 35 percent of all moms surveyed reported not getting enough sleep. Just think of all the ones who didn’t participate in the survey! I don’t know a single mother who feels she gets enough sleep. At least, not the ones with kids still living under their roof!
Health-related problems stemming from a lack of sleep includes irritability, lack of concentration, reduced decision-making skills, and loss of emotional control. Consistent lack of sleep can impair the immune system, increase the appetite and slow metabolism, promoting weight gain.
The division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School offers these following suggestions:
- Avoid caffeine four to six hours before bedtime.
- Avoid exercising within three hours of going to bed. Exercise stimulates a hormone that triggers alertness in your brain.
- Limit alcohol consumption to one to two drinks per day or less, and avoid drinking alcohol within three hours of bedtime.
- Create a quiet, dark and cool environment for sleeping.
- Go to bed and wake up at around the same time daily.
- Avoid working in bed. Keep your lap top in another room.
- Avoid having emotional conversations with your partner in bed.
- Develop a soothing pre-bedtime routine.
Some of our recommendations include:
- Meditate – focusing on your breathing will help you fall asleep naturally.
- Try some pre-bedtime yoga.
- Take a warm shower or bath.
Find something that works for you now so when you need to use it as a trigger you can. What are some of the triggers you’ve used and been successful with?
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