Part of having good emotional health is getting good, quality sleep at night. As mothers, it is so easy to be overwhelmed that we are robbed of a good night’s rest. Granted there are some things that are outside of your control, such as a crying newborn. Despite all those things, how can we get better sleep? What are some practical tips for better sleep? That is exactly what we will discuss in this article! Let’s get to it!
What Keeps Us From Having Good Sleep
There are many factors that can rob of us a good night’s rest. Let’s take a look at some of these below.
1. Stress
Probably the number one reason why Americans don’t sleep well is due to stress. Mothers, especially, have a lot to worry about. We worry about our children, their health, if we are doing enough for them, how can we best protect them, etc.
Lowering your stress will definitely aid you in sleeping better! To learn all about how you can lower your stress in motherhood, check out my article, Reducing Mom Stress, by clicking the button below.
2. Electronics
Watching TV, scrolling through FaceBook, and watching videos on our phones are all stimulating to the brain. It is recommended to keep all electronics off at least one hour before bed. Doing this will keep the brain relaxed and quiet so that you can fall asleep faster.
So another good tip for good sleep is turning off your TV, computer, and phone one hour before bed!
3. Sound
If you are someone who is a light sleeper, noises may keep you awake at night. Someone snoring, the house creaking, or even the furnace turning on can all keep a light sleeper awake. What can you do about these disturbances?
- Eliminate the sound
- Put on white noise
- Slide draft stoppers under your door to prevent sound from downstairs coming into your room
- Wear ear plugs
4. Foods
Have you ever heard the saying eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and breakfast like a peasant. What that means is breakfast should include all the food groups. It should be the largest meal of the day. Lunch should be a little smaller than breakfast. Dinner should be the smallest – like a stir fry.
Eating like this aids in getting better sleep. Cultures who normally have smaller meals for dinner report sleeping better because their stomachs are not busy working trying to digest a lot of fat and protein.
Certain foods tend to affect our quality of sleep. Spicy foods, foods high in fat, and sugary foods all contribute to getting poor sleep. If you are sensitive to certain foods at night, you may find that they give you nightmares!
This is true for me if I eat mint flavored brownies. I would get such bad nightmares after eating those brownies that I stopped having anything minty before bed.
Remember, one tip for getting better sleep at night it to avoid fatty, sugary and spicy foods before bed.
Foods To Avoid Before Bed
- Fatty foods
- Foods high in sugar
- Spicy foods
- Eat smaller meals for dinner
5. Certain Beverages
Drinking certain beverages before hitting the hay can also contribute to poor quality of sleep. Drinks to avoid before bed are sugary drinks, drinks with caffein, and alcohol.
You would think alcohol would help you sleep, since it is a suppressant. However, some alcohols are high in sugar. The sugar may be what keeps people awake or unable to sleep well.
Drinks To Avoid Before Bed
- Soda/pop
- Alcohol
- Caffeinated coffee
- Tea
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5 Tips For Better Sleep
When your body is relaxed, it is able to enter into the sleeping cycles (REM cycles) better. Getting a hot shower, journaling, or reading a calm book before bed are all great ways to relax your body. Below are additional tools that will help your body relax so you can get better sleep.
1. Exercise During The Day
A tired body is able to fall asleep faster at night. You know how we try to get our toddlers to run around so they will nap and sleep better? The same is true for us!
Exercise won’t just help you sleep better. It will also benefit your emotional and mental health! 30 minutes of exercise a day will lower your risk of depression, anxiety and other mental health illnesses.
How much exercise do you get? If you need at at-home exercise program, check out my article below (Coming Soon!) to find one that’s right for you!
2. Think Positively Throughout The Day
A calm and happy mind is able to rest and fall asleep faster than a mind that is stimulated and frustrated. As mothers, we ALL struggle with our thoughts. The lack of sleep doesn’t help our ability to control our thoughts. It’s like we are in this crazy cycle of poor sleep equals poor thoughts which equals even more poor sleep!
I wanted to help educate you on how to change our thought patterns from the negative to the positive. That’s why I wrote my article Affirmations For Moms. In this article, I don’t just teach you how to change your thoughts. I also give you 30 affirmations for mothers you can think on throughout the day!
Learn to change your thoughts from negative to positive while speaking affirmations to yourself! Check out this article by clicking below!
3. Get A Weighted Blanket
Many people sleep better with a weighted blanket. These are great because they naturally calm the body and aid in relaxation. Weighted blankets give the body the feeling of a gentle hug. When you’re enjoying a hug, your body releases oxytocin. Oxytocin is a hormone that relaxes the body and makes you feel safe and secure.
Benefits Of Sleeping With A Weighted Blanket
- Aids in naturally relaxing the body
- Helps you fall asleep faster
- May help you sleep longer
- Gives the body a feeling of being safe and secure
To find a weighted blanket you would enjoy, click the button below!
4. Invest In A Quality Pillow
Many mothers struggle with neck and shoulder pain. When you’re in pain, your body is unable to relax and fall asleep. If this describes you, you may want to invest in a quality pillow.
What is a quality pillow? It is a pillow that gives your neck and shoulders support and helps relieve that pain. Remember, when your body is in pain, it keeps you from getting good sleep.
Benefits Of Having A Quality Pillow
- Relieves neck and shoulder pain
- Helps you sleep by relieving pain
- Prevents neck and shoulder kinks in the morning
To find a quality pillow to help you sleep better at night, click the button below!
5. Use Essential Oils
Finally, one of the best tips for better sleep is diffusing essential oils! Essential oils are able to naturally relax the body and aid in sleeping. There are many different oils that carry these properties. If you’re interested in learning more about which essential oils are best for getting good sleep, click the button below!
Leave A Comment Below!
What will you put into practice this week to help get better sleep? Leave a comment below sharing it with us! We always love hearing from our mama audience!
Want To Learn More?
If you would like to learn more about how you can have better emotional health in motherhood, check out the below articles!
Read this article to get an overview of emotional health in motherhood.
Accepting Your New Identity As Mom
Benefits That Motivate You To Exercise!
Building Resiliency In Motherhood
6 Ways To Know You Are A Good Enough Mom
6 Tips To Exercise When You Have No Time To Exercise
Top 15 Essential Oils For Boosting Energy Levels!
Top 5 Tips To Reduce Mom Stress
Exercise And Emotional Health (Coming Soon!)
Getting Professional Help (Coming Soon!)