I’m a massive fan of sleeping (I’ve previously discussed daily naps and how to sleep during the day!). This simple act can have the biggest impact on my mood, health and overall well-being. Simply put, if I don’t get enough, or am slightly short over a period of time it catches up on me and I can be very low. You know what they say “no food, bad mood. No sleep, big weep.” Nevermind the kids, that pretty much sums up my moods swings to a tee!
If I’m moody, give me a snack. If I’m teary, send me to bed!
However, I have a toddler who doesn’t respect this. He is sleeping worse than he was as a newborn (or at least it feels like it!) – not settling until late, up with the larks (or before) and up often several times in the night! Yesterday, Mike finally bought us a Gro Clock, so we’ll see how the sleep training goes but in the meantime, I wanted to focus on Mama’s sleep. How to sleep to the max when Tod-zilla is terrorising your sleeping hours?
How to sleep to the MAX!
1. Make sleep a priority
Try and set your day up so you get your desired amount of sleep.
I personally try to get 8 hours so that means being in bed by 9pm, especially as I have been getting up at 5:30am anyway to do my workouts for the 6 week body transformation. It doesn’t matter what the clock says, if you’re tired get to bed. I’ve been known to be in bed by 7:30pm in the hope to make up for some of the broken nights. It does mean that other things might suffer (blogging, clean house, etc.) but since you’re up so early, try and do that stuff then!
This isn’t going to make you especially popular with your other half either…so make sure you have some quality time together at other times – since we’re up early, Mike and I have been having some lovely quality time together over a coffee in the morning!
2. Create your own Bedtime Routine
I’ve suspected for a while that I’m just a toddler in a woman’s body, so I’ve got myself a fully-fledged bedtime routine. I’ve always been someone who falls asleep easily, but if you struggle to drop off this is really important to prep your mind for relaxation. My lovely friend Vicki from Honest Mum struggles with sleep from time to time, so if you struggle too, I’d recommend reading her tips on getting the zeds she needs and a good bedtime routine.
My routine includes having a “sleepy tea”, as I like to call it (a Pukka Nighttime Tea), or two. I try not to watch TV or use my phone (but sometimes a little pinterest in bed is quite fun!) and I’ll read a book for say half an hour in bed, or until my eyes start dropping. If I’m feeling especially in need of some R&R, I’ll have a bath first. I love all the Aromatherapy Associates oils, Mike got me a selection for Christmas and they include things like ‘Relax Light’, ‘Relax Deep’ and ‘Destress’. They also make your skin feel lovely!
3. Make your room a sanctuary
This is definitely a work in progress in our room – as we’re working around the new house making it ‘ours’, the bedroom is our last port of call and is FAR from the way we would like it. As such, we’ve neglected it; there’s still the odd box lying around and we’ve not found homes for everything that we’ve got out. I’m sure it must be affecting our zen!
So a new priority is to make our room a little sanctuary – clearing the clutter, no more clothes lying around, fresh sheets every 1 to 2 weeks (is there anything better than fresh sheets??), and hopefully within the next month or two, a redecoration to get rid of the horrible peach curtains and stained carpets! But the latter isn’t necessary to make your room more relaxing!
4. Make your room smell good
According to a recent study, 41% of Japanese people find it easier to relax if the room smells nice!
I’ve recently got a few sleepy products from a company called Neom Organics from their Scent to Sleep range, as I was particularly interested in the idea of scent to help you relax and get a really good night’s sleep. After reading Jessica Alba’s book, an Honest Life, I’ve been weary of using any scented products in our house because the vast majority have nasty things in them.
Neom is organic and has none of those nasty chemicals in, so I was really excited to give it a try. I got both the Tranquillity candle and the Reed diffuser and they smell amazing – a mix of lavender, sweet basil and jasmine. I also love the fact they have tested their products over 2 years and this particular blend resulted in the vast majority of participants having a better night’s sleep…I want that job! Being paid to sleep? That is definitely something I’d excel at!
I also got the bubble bath, so I can enjoy the smell even before I get to bed!
5. Products that work while you sleep
I try to wash my face and moisturise before bed, because what you don’t want is your make up doing nasty things to your skin while you innocently slumber. So that’s a given, right?! And at the moment I’m using some Elemis cleanser, toner and moisturiser, which I was given to try after a facial in John Lewis. Winner!
I have also been trialling a product, called Moisture Mittens, for the award-winning company Yes! Nurse. Yes! Nurse specialise in hand cream but they have recently extended their product range to include gloves which you wear over night. I must admit at first it was weird to wear gloves to bed! I felt like a victorian lady and Reuben didn’t like them (but then he shouldn’t wake up so much)! Over time, I’ve started to get comfort from them protecting my addled mitts.
I have alright hands from time to time, but with lots of (OK, some) washing up, and general mum duties that require constant hand washing, they can get really dry. In particular my cuticles. I don’t tend to use hand cream much as I’m washing my hands so much – it’s a catch 22!
The premise with the Moisture Mittens is that you work the wonder cream (my words) into your hands, focusing on any particularly dry bits, then pop the gloves on. While you are sleeping your claws will be turned into beautiful paws (they recommend 7 nights but I noticed a difference straight away!), making your sleep even more useful!
So that is how to sleep to the MAX (in my humble opinion)! What are your tips for the best sleep ever?
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
This is so me, if I get down on sleep then my mood is totally affected for days on end. I neeeeed my 8 hours a night to survive so these tips are really helpful! I’m one of those people who really struggle to fall asleep no matter how tired I am. I’ve been trying not to use my phone and laptop straight before bed but I fail at this more evenings than not! I have just bought some relaxing story tapes though which are helping a bit with the sleeping process xx
Ooh I love the idea of story tapes! I hope some of these tips help love xx
I think everyone needs a good bedtime routine. I have the exact same routine every night and it gets me in the right head space for bed x
Oh good, glad it’s not just me 😉 xx
ooh would love to try Neom that sounds right up my street. Big fan of Elemis too, I use the marine cream moisturiser, I’v tried a lot of others in my time-some that cost ridiculous ££ but Elemis wins hands down for me xx
Oh yes, it’s the marine cream that I’ve got a sample of – it smells a bit funny to me but I do really love how my skin feels!! Do you use that at night too Amy? xx
My little one still wakes in the night so I think I may try some of these although mine is to go to bed at a sensible time as I am bad at it.
I know what you mean – if I stay up until 9 doing ‘stuff’ I can get a second wind and then stay up far too late! I have to sort of prep myself so I’m in bed at a reasonable time! xx
I am currently struggling with sleep deprivation with a 20 month old who has never slept well his entire life… I seem to get maybe one good night a week, which just about keeps me from going over the edge!
Even though I’m so completely exhausted, I still struggle to fall asleep – I listen to Stephen Fry reading Harry Potter on my ipod to help me nod off 🙂
Oh how lovely! Sending big sleepy hugs to you – it ain’t easy 🙁 xxx
Great tips, I always struggle with waking in the night and can never seem to get a full nights kip! Those moisture mittens look fantastic, definitely going to have to give them a try. #TheList
I’d highly recommend it Kaye!! xx
Thanks for the tips, I shall definitely be trying some out as I’ve not been sleeping well for a while and it’s really catching up with me! Everything is so difficult when you’re tired, trying to lose weight is nearly impossible when I have no energy. Thank you for sharing x
#TheList
Well apparently if you sleep less than 5.5 hours you will be something like 25% MORE hungry so you’re darn right it’s harder to lose weight! Hope some of these help for you love xx
I am a night owl, so I find going to sleep hard, I will listen to your advice #The List
Good luck!! I guess if you’re still getting enough sleep it doesn’t matter when it happens?! xx
I find it so difficult to drop off to sleep, it’s particularly bad at the moment, I might have to create myself a bedtime routine and see if that works.
I am so grumpy when I am tired
Oh I hope some of these tips help lovely! xxx
I love that you have a bed time routine!! I think it’s important to take some time to relax before going to bed. Might have to invest in some aromatherapy associates stuff! I do yoga and meditation before going to bed but have been neglecting it a little as my daughter goes to bed so late at the moment! And if everything fails there is always hot milk with a shot of rhum 😉 #thelist
Haha! I’d forgotten that 😉 xx
Great tips, sleep is so important isn’t it, but I am definitely getting less sleep since I started blogging, I seem to stay up so much later working, where i used to love an early night x
I was the same – last year I’d be blogging at night all the time but I’ve switched things around a bit and in all honesty I’m just not blogging as much! The only night I work now is a Thursday as I’m always catching up ready for TheList 😉 xx
I like the sound of the moisture mittens! I really should try going to bed earlier most nights to help me get more sleep too!
Yup! Sleep is awesome 😉 so are the moisture mittens! xx
I couldn’t function without a decent nights sleep, so I’m lucky with my 3 year old that unless he’s ill he sleeps through from about 9pm (he refuses to go to bed any earlier) til at least 8am, sometimes later (gotta love him at the weekend!). I do have difficulty drifting off though sometimes and spend hours tossing and turning at night so I’ll definitely put some of your tips to good use! x
Oh no!! That really sucks xxxx I hope some of this helps! xx
I usually go to her by ten, but nine would be my preference. I tend to stay up because Andrew does and he doesn’t get why I want to sleep. I’ve always been an early riser whereas he would sleep in til eleven given the chance. I think maybe I should do what I need to do and he needs to learn to respect that? x
#thelist
I recon so! I love an early night and that feeling the next day when you wake up early and refreshed. It’s got to be done when little ones are still working out what sleep is all about! I guess a compromise could be to have a night or two a week when you stay up with Andrew?! xx
Sleep is so important, I’m the same my mood really suffers when I haven’t had enough. X
Same here!! xx
I’m hopeless if I don’t get enough sleep! I might give those sleep scents a try #thelist
Oh, it’s just gorgeous!! xx
Ooh 8 hours! I remember the days 🙂 I usually get 5 on average, which sucks. These are fabulous tips huni xxx
Mwah – I was thinking of you as I wrote this 😉 xxxx
I really like the sound of those Moisture Mittens. I have quite bad OCD and I wash my hands A LOT so they are very dry, quite often to the point of cracking and bleeding. I think this sounds like a nice restorative treatment for them overnight- I’ll have to have a look!
I’m a terrible sleeper. I go to bed around 10.30 on an average day but it takes me several hours to fall asleep and as Elsa wakes around midnight I don’t ever get to sleep before she wakes up! Then she comes in with me so I’m only ever half asleep until morning. I’m exhausted!
I think I’m going to look into those Neom products too. I like the idea of organic products, especially as Elsa has sensitive skin and I don’t like to use too much in the way of scents and things around the house. I do think a lovely smelling room sounds nice and relaxing though.
Ooh and clean sheets are THE BEST. I’d like to hire someone to come and wash and change my sheets every day.
GREAT post (as always.) xx
Awww thank you love! I like the sound of fresh sheets every day – maybe we should move into a hotel 😉 Sorry to hear about your sleep troubles!!!! It really is exhausting xxx But so easy to keep plodding on and hoping something will change. Let’s make it a priority to get something sorted – maybe you need to get to bed a bit earlier? I find if I stay up past being tired, I can get a second wind that keeps me going until midnight! xx
This is brilliant! It’s all stuff I knew but don’t do, thank you for reminding me and reminding me of how important it is. I struggle terribly with sleep but so need it. I am heading over to Vicki’s post now. Thanks Hannah xx
Aww, so worries – I hope it helps! I think as Mums we often feel guilty if we put ourselves first but happy mum = happy family, so get to it and get some Zeds!! xx
Loving those moisture mittens! How cute! I need to make my room a sanctuary, it is currently the worst room in the house!!
Great tips xx
Same Katy – I haven’t forgotten that you said you’d like a blog about our ideas here but it just seems to be at the bottom of the priority list. NOT ON!! 😉 xx The moisture mittens are great, I used them again last night as my skin is drying out with this changing weather! xx
Great post – I am terrible at napping, I can never do it, feeling worse when I get up! So I always push on through, which isn’t the best idea. Although I like the idea of making the bedroom a complete sanctuary and smelling lovely. xx
ooh let’s both make a pact to get our rooms nice! 😉 xx
I’ve never heard that saying before, but I totally get it – I’m not good without sleep either (and I don’t have a little one either!) I’m a believer that sleep is a great healer too, and in the past mostly my partying days I was a big sleep camel stocking up on sleep for the week ahead 🙂
Hope you get some decent sleep soon(ish) x
I could really do with more sleep … I should try the routine point, but i’m not sure I’ll keep to it. I’m juggling so much at the moment. But you’re right, it’s so hard to be at one’s best when one is not well rested. I’ll aim to really prioritise sleep over the next few weeks. Thanks for sharing, it sure got me thinking. #TheList
Great tips Hannah and one all mums will absolutely love! (And Dads too, I can just see them now slathering on some hand cream ;-))
Sleep is so important, I never used to think that, UNTIL I became a Mum. I went through a particularly bad patch with Elsie when she was very little, when she hardly slept at all at night, for months and I can honestly say I’ve never felt as broken and fragile as I did then. Thank goodness we’ve progressed a little since then!
Tip wise – I agree with everything you say. Go to bed early, turn of your phone etc before bed and reading always helps me relax. I also swear by black out curtains and / or a sleep mask (mine is silk and feels divine!) to help, if like me, the slightest chink of light wakes you up.
xxx
P.S Those Neom products sound incredible! Where do I get me some of those? Love the idea of hand products working hard as you sleep too! What’s not to love about that?!
The irony is I’m reading this at 23.30 when I should be getting as much sleep in as possible before the 2am feed, which is then often followed by a much begrudged 4am feed…oh and 6am too! Loved the post though xx
The problem in our house is my other half needs noise to sleep (she grew up in a pub) while I need quiet, so usually (unless I am dog tired) I have to wait for her to be asleep and switch everything off lol.