(Guest Post written by Kate Fielding)
It’s amazing to think that one of the things that should come most naturally to us, is often one of the hardest things to do! And that’s sleeping. There’s nothing worse than going to bed feeling exhausted, being unable to sleep, and then waking up in the morning feeling even more tired than you were in the first place!
This problem reaches its critical mass when you’re a busy mum. With all of the daily and nightly tasks that need doing, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done and get your required eight hours of sleep per night.
However, I’ve found a few hints that have helped me get at least kind of close to that mythical eight hours of slumber!
Mind control
It’s often the case that no matter how tired you are, once your head hits the pillow your brain switches on and runs riot! I’ve lost so many hours of potential sleep by running over the previous day’s events and planning what I need to do tomorrow.
What helps me to switch these thoughts off is to play mental games with myself such as challenging myself to stay awake. It sounds crazy but it sometimes works!
And a little bit of meditation goes a long way too. Try and empty your mind, or at least picture a place of tranquillity and calm. This will focus your mind and stop those nagging thoughts that motherhood can often bring.
Body matters
Once you’ve got your mind under control, it’s also important to understand the ways that you can help your body succumb to sleep.
I’ve been through phases where I would suddenly and inexplicably need the toilet right in the middle of the night and it’s so infuriating! What helped me stop this was to avoid liquids at least three hours before bedtime, and also to cut back on caffeine in the daytime.
There are many other dietary factors that can have a dramatic affect on our sleeping patterns. This handy diet and sleep article lists the food that can aid sleep, and also highlights some surprising items that can stop a good night’s rest.
The bedroom
And it goes without saying that your bedroom environment plays a massive part in your ability to sleep.
An uncomfortable bed, distracting noise, and the room being too bright can all dramatically affect your sleeping patterns. Thankfully there are many products out there from simple noise-cancelling earplugs to elaborate devices such as the Nightwave Sleep Assistant that can all work together to help ensure that you get that well-deserved night’s sleep!