How moms can get a peaceful night’s sleep
If you’re like most busy moms you haven’t slept through the night since you found out you were pregnant. And as your kids get older and life gets busier, the idea of more sleep seems like only a daydream. Before you lose any more sleep, GeoParent explains why you are missing out on needed sleep and how to go about getting it.
By Tracy B. McGinnis
A new book out by Julie Bain and Ellen Michaud titled, Sleep to be Sexy, Smart and Slim, suggests women have a lot to lose and gain when it comes to getting enough uninterrupted shut-eye.
The authors site hormonal fluctuations and the demanding role women face at home and at work as culprits to not getting enough sleep. Surveys like that of the National Sleep Foundation confirm we are not getting enough sleep with results showing that more than 60 percent of the women polled experience a sleep problem three or more nights a week, while 33 percent report a sleep problem every single night.
Women have a lot to lose both physically and mentally when it comes to not getting enough Z’s. A lack of sleep has been associated with medical problems including: high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and depression, to name a few, and as Bain and Michaud point out, a decreased sex drive.
The book offers these sleep suggestions:
- Lower your expectations - in other words, everything doesn’t need to be perfect.
- Have younger children sleep independently - teach your kids how to get to sleep on their own so you can get a good nights rest.
- Get toddlers and preschoolers to bed by 7:30, preteens to bed by 8:30, teens to bed by 9PM.
- Establish bedtime routines
- Get yourself to bed by 11PM - leave what’s not done until the next day.
Get Sleep. Get Physical.
According to the 2008 Better Sleep Month (BSM) national survey, sponsored by the Better Sleep Council, “those respondents getting nine hours of sleep or more are more likely to engage in higher-intensity workouts, including biking, running and/or weight lifting.”
The BSC offers these 8 tips to get a better night’s sleep:
1. Maintain a regular bed and wake time schedule, including weekends.
2. Establish a relaxing bedtime routine, such as soaking in a hot bath or hot tub and then reading a book or listening to soothing music.
3. Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, comfortable and cool.
4. Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillow.
5. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex. It is best to take work
materials, computers and televisions out of the sleeping environment.
6. Finish eating at least two to three hours before your regular bedtime.
7. Exercise regularly. It is ideal to complete your workout at least a few hours before bedtime.
8. Avoid alcohol, nicotine (e.g., cigarettes, tobacco products), and caffeine (e.g., coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate) close to bedtime. These can lead to poor sleep, keep you awake or disrupt sleep later in the night.
A Bed Routine Is Not Just For Kids
Dr. Susan Grober of the Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa agrees that establishing a bed time routine is key to getting a good night’s sleep. “At least an hour before you want to sleep, make a list of everything you have to do and everything on your mind. To be most effective, it should include mundane tasks like picking up the cleaning and any projects/activities you’ve been thinking of such as sorting your photos online or in albums,” suggests Grober.
“This clears your mind of all the mental clutter and makes room, instead, for peaceful relaxing thoughts.” Grober says to pick a relaxation technique that works for you and spend time before bed doing something that’s relaxing and not over stimulating or upsetting.
“If you read, pick a novel that you’re enjoying, or a magazine, rather than a self-improvement book. Or if you choose to watch TV, don’t watch the news!”
Dr. Aparajitha Verma is medical director of the Sleep Disorders Center at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas suggests avoiding T.V., reading or eating in bed. “Limit time in bed to sleeping,” says Verma. Among Verma’s other tips, “Follow a regular bed and wake time and reduce or try to avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine ideally at least 6 hours before bed time.” Verma says it’s a good idea to wind-down about half-hour before going to bed and to avoid any stressful activities before sleep.
Sheila Cluff, “Grandmother of Aerobics”, and founder of the Oaks at Ojai, is a grandmother and mother and has first-hand experience when it comes to not getting enough sleep. Cluff recognizes that moms taking care of their kids forget about taking care of themselves in the process.
Cluff says creating a sleep routine is key. “Every night before bed, go through the same steps, even a few hours before you climb between the covers. After a few weeks of whatever ritual you choose, your body will understand the signal for sleep. Consider a soothing book, calming music, herbal sleep pillows, cooling sleep eye masks or herbal tea to get started.”
Stop The Clock
Grober also suggests not being a clock watcher. “Women today are so busy with careers, relationships, and family, that they keep one eye on our watch no matter what they’re doing.”
Grober says this habit doesn’t stop when women get to bed and will sabotage your sleep, but she adds the solution is simple. “Take off your watch and turn the clock next to your bed away from you so that you can’t see the time. If you’re checking the time every minute, you’re creating stress for yourself. Every time you open your eyes and see you’ve spent another ½ hour tossing and turning, you start thinking anxious thoughts which keep you up even longer.”
Get Up and Get To Sleep
Grober also likes the fifteen minute rule. “If you’re in bed and you haven’t fallen asleep in fifteen minutes, get up and go into another room,” she says. “Read, watch TV, even clean out a drawer or your closet and when you start feeling sleepy, get back into bed.” Grober says to repeat this until you’re asleep. “You will learn to associate bed with rest and sleep, not with sleepless nights and the worries that come with them. This strategy distracts you from the negative, irrational thoughts that accompany sleep difficulties.”
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