Sleep tips for moms’ insomnia
Many moms start having their own sleep issues long after their babies or children managed to sleep through the night. So it could be quite frustrating when you stare at the ceiling in the middle of night while your baby sleeps peacefully.
This is a common reaction during the baby’s first year of life when the mother instinct, sometimes an overly protective one, kicks in and stays in place at night longer than we wish.
However, your sleep is as important as your baby’s, so it’s time to do something about it.
24 techniques specialists recommend for mothers to improve their sleep
- Go to bed and wake up at approx. the same time (including during holidays or weekends) – this regular routine supports our circadian rhythm which regulates our awake-sleep cycle.
- Keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet and let some fresh air coming in just before going to bed. Our bodies naturally cool down in the evening to prepare for sleep.
- Take a warm bath or shower before sleep – this helps our mind relax and facilitates a small drop in our body’s temperature to prepare us for sleep.
- Develop a bedtime routine – it help us unwind, relax and manage stress. Try to listen to an audio guided meditation or to relaxing music, do deep breathing exercises, journal, draw or read a book, spoil yourself with a nice foot massage, practice gratitude & positive affirmations, pray, write down a to-do list for the next day, practice some medicine energy exercises to calm down and balance your system before sleep.
- Stop using electronic devices at least 1h prior to bedtime and keep them away from your bedroom – the blue light emitted by these devices sends our brain the message it’s still daytime and prevents it from issuing melatonin – the sleep hormone.
- Use blue light protection glasses after sunset – to send the right message to our brain: it’s time to prepare for sleep.
- Go to the bathroom before sleep – it prevents your bladder from waking you up at night by limiting what you drink before bed and using the restroom one last time before going to sleep.
- Avoid heavy and spicy foods at night – they could be a challenge for the digestive system and could increase body’s temperature.
- Have a light dinner no later than 7:30pm, eat slowly & consciously – this is to support your digestive system communicate with your brain better, have less work to do at night and give the cells the opportunity to focus on the regeneration work instead.
- Avoid sweets in the evening – to avoid blood sugar fluctuation at night. Or you could replace your dessert with a sleep friendly healthy snack like: pineapple, berries, nuts, plain yoghurt with honey & lavender tea.
- Avoid or reduce your caffeine, alcohol and nicotine intake in the evening. Specialists recommend stopping the caffeine intake after 2pm to support good sleep at night. Contrary to what we know, although alcohol helps us fall asleep faster, it prevents us from going into the deep sleep phase (the most restorative and regenerative part of our sleep).
- Exercise daily – especially during the first part of the day and maybe resort to some quiet yin yoga or stretching exercises in the evening.
- Spend active time in the natural light at least 1 h every morning – besides being a good mood regulator, the serotonin or the happiness hormone is issued during this time and contributes to the production of melatonin (the sleep hormone) later on at night.
- Avoid napping during daytime – it will steal away from your night sleep.
- Cuddle with your partner – this connects us and puts us in the safe mood we need to fall asleep peacefully.
- Use bed just for sleep and sex, not for work or eating.
- Change your sleep position – some experts recommend sleeping more on the left side to promote healthy blood flow throughout the entire body, while some others recommend the right side to help the stomach and gall bladder process food easier.
- Change your mattress (if it’s more than 8 years old) – a recent study proves that once people replaced their old mattress with a new, good quality one, their sleep quality and back pain improved.
- Wear socks (especially during the cold season) – this habit can help a process called distal vasodilatation, which refers to an increase of blood to your hands and feet that reduces your core body temperature quicker. As previously explained, this enhances our chances to fall asleep easier.
- Sync with nature – dim the light in the house after sunset and use a red bulb to guide your way to the baby’s room or to the toiled at night.
- Do a medical check-up to assess your Fe, Mg, Zn and vitamin D levels, hormone level as well as your thyroid level (with a huge impact on sleep).
- Do not check the clock or turn on the light if you wake up at night, try to get your mind bored as much as possible (ex. counting sheep) and if this does not work, get up and do something quiet for a while until you get sleepy again.
- Pay a visit to the dentist, if you suspect you are grinding your teeth. This might be a serious cause of night wakings.
- Make sleep a priority in your life, enjoy its benefits, smile more, be present and mindful, practice self-care and take good care of yourself emotionally too!
Because a happy mom means a happy child and a happy family!
If you need more support with setting good sleep habits for your child, do not hesitate to book a free Discovery Call below.