Boy, wouldn’t you like to have five minutes alone with the person who told you that being a parent would be easy? So what, so you’ll have to get up once in a while during the night while they’re babies after which it’s all downhill from there, right? Oh, so, so wrong.
If you are a newly-anointed parent, you know all too well how difficult it is to get enough Sleep in order to be able to function properly the next day. It’s virtually impossible. So, let’s try to make your life a little, if not a lot, easier, shall we?
Ensure some daily “me” time
Right off the bat, I’m going to propose something extraordinary. Take some time for yourself during the day! At least 20 minutes to half an hour. Practice relaxation techniques, meditate, read, and lie down even if you’re not sleepy. This will help you turn off your inner voice when the time comes to go to bed in the evening.
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Keep the dinner light
The last thing you want to do right before bed is to stuff on dinner, no matter how tempting it might seem after an entire day of work and kids. You want to resist the urge to clean up whatever food is left, in order to fall asleep easily and sleep peacefully.
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Are you tired enough?
This might seem like a silly question, but, are you actually tired enough? Yes, taking care of the kids is a full-time job, and yes, it can be quite exhausting, but at the end of the day, you might find yourself unable to doze off. If this is the case, simply introduce a quick workout session in the afternoon to empty those last energy reserves.
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Enforce a strict schedule
For your entire family, but more importantly, for yourself. Having a strict bedtime schedule will improve the quality of your sleep cycles and help you feel rejuvenated and refreshed in the morning. Oh, and just because the weekend has finally rolled along doesn’t mean that you can sleep in!
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Keep stress at bay
One of the main culprits in the lack of quality sleep is the hormone cortisol, or “stress hormone”. One of your main priorities is to keep stress at bay in order to get quality shut-eye.
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Stick to a healthy bedtime routine
When you have a schedule in place, you also want to introduce a healthy bedtime routine. That means brushing your teeth, taking a relaxing bath, and squeezing in a light read.
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Fresh air in the bedroom
Be sure to air the bedroom before turning the lights off! Poor air quality and stuffiness can make it impossible to fall asleep and it’ll even make you have nightmares.
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Harness the power of sunlight
During the day, you want to expose your body to as much natural light as possible. Of course, avoid going out in the scorching sun, but that extra dose of Vitamin D will help regulate your circadian rhythm.
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Keep the temperature down
When the time comes to retire to the bedroom, you want to turn the thermostat just below comfortable. The chill will help your body use extra energy to stay warm and Fall Asleep Faster.
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Eliminate the noise
Noise can be one of the most annoying things keeping you awake at night, whether it’s your kids or the damned cat hunting ghosts in the living room again. Invest in a pair of earplugs.
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Preserve the peace in your home
Don’t ever go to bed angry, not for the sake of others, but for the sake of your emotional well-being and your beauty sleep.
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Keep the phone out
No, you don’t need your smartphone in your bedroom. The emails can wait until morning, and Facebook is boring anyway. Leave it outside.
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Stick to plain water
You might feel tempted to reach for another cup of rejuvenating java, but that’s a bad idea that will keep you awake at night. After 5PM, stick to plain water.
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Make sure you’re comfy
What are you sleeping on? A bed? That’s not a valid answer, ladies. You need to be snug as a warm burrito rolled up in tinfoil. Be sure you have a comfortable latex mattress underneath you to support your sleeping position and help you wake up feeling refreshed and energized.
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Stick to a healthy diet
Healthy eating is important, there’s simply no way around it. Be sure to eat healthy foods to be an all-around healthy momma year-round.
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Embrace the power nap
If you haven’t been much of a napper in the past, you’re about to become one. Take short naps during the day in order to get your required dose of shuteye.
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What’s the thing that usually makes you sleepy?
Everyone has a different activity that makes them doze off no matter what. For some, it’s reading, for others it’s listening to jazz. Either way, use it to doze off within minutes.
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Embrace your significant other
And now for the fun part. Did you know that sex and the subsequent orgasm is one of the most powerful pleasure triggers in the world? Be sure to squeeze in a passionate lovemaking session with your significant other and you’ll be sleeping like a baby.
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Don’t watch TV
You don’t need your phone before bed, and you don’t need the TV either. There’s nothing but trouble and violence on there, so why would you watch that before bed?
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Listen to a soothing song or audiobook
The sounds of nature, light music, or a soothing audiobook – these can be powerful stimuli that can easily take you straight to la-la land.
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Drink something warm
Your room might be chilly, your lighting might be perfect, and your bed might feel overly inviting, but you have a couple of more things to do. Be sure to sip on a warm cup of chamomile tea, or some warm skim milk to help you fall asleep faster.
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Write down your thoughts
And finally, in order to keep the troubles of the outside world out of your head and doze off quickly, write down your thoughts and tasks and outline a general solution for all of them. Now set the notebook aside. You’ll get to it in the morning.
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It’s not easy maintaining a consistent sleeping schedule as a parent, especially in the hectic modern world. Be sure to incorporate these tips into your daily routine, and you will slowly but surely start waking up rested and rejuvenated. In time, this whole parenting game will become a breeze.
The post 22 Tips for Parents that Will Make Them Sleep Better appeared first on momooze.
