{"id":3433,"date":"2022-05-06T15:55:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-06T15:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/?p=3433"},"modified":"2022-05-06T18:01:29","modified_gmt":"2022-05-06T18:01:29","slug":"this-mothers-day-give-yourself-the-gift-of-better-sleep-with-these-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/everything-else\/this-mothers-day-give-yourself-the-gift-of-better-sleep-with-these-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"This Mother\u2019s Day, Give Yourself the Gift of Better Sleep with These Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"
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There are few jobs as tough as being a mom. And in order for Moms to take the best care of their little ones, they also need to be taking good care of themselves, and that includes prioritizing sleep. <\/p>\n

That\u2019s why we\u2019ve connected with sleep and parenting experts for their insights on why sleep is so important for Moms\u2014as well as tips on how Moms can prioritize getting more and better rest.<\/p>\n

There are few jobs out there as demanding as being a mom; children, especially when they\u2019re younger, need near-constant care. And in order for moms to deliver the best care to their little ones, they also need to be taking good care of themselves.<\/p>\n

Getting enough high-quality sleep is essential for moms, but it can also be a huge challenge. So the question is, why, exactly, is sleep so important for moms? And how can moms prioritize rest and get the high-quality sleep they need to show up for their kids and<\/em> themselves?<\/p>\n

Why is sleep so important for moms?<\/h2>\n

\u201cSleep is essential to our health,\u201d says Dr. Kent Smith<\/a>, sleep expert and president of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy<\/a>. \u201cThat is true for everyone, but especially for mothers who often wear multiple hats and juggle numerous responsibilities within their families.\u201d<\/p>\n

Without proper sleep, moms can find themselves facing a host of health issues that make parenting (and life!) significantly harder. \u201cBeing a mother is a full-time job in itself, and not getting enough sleep, combined with the stress of parenting, can quickly lead to issues with physical health, mental health, and cognition,\u201d says Dr. Chelsie Rohrscheib, neuroscientist and head sleep expert at Wesper<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But let\u2019s be honest, getting enough sleep as a parent, particularly a new parent, isn\u2019t common o<\/em>r easy. \u201cResearch<\/a> has found that adults tend to function most efficiently and effectively when getting somewhere between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night,\u201d says Smith. <\/p>\n

But very few parents are getting that much sleep (in fact, according to one survey<\/a>, only 10 percent of new parents are getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night\u2014and other research suggests<\/a> that parents\u2019 sleep doesn\u2019t fully recover until their child is six years old) for a variety of reasons\u2014including that their children aren\u2019t getting that much sleep. \u201cIt is\u2026difficult to get adequate sleep when our children are not great sleepers, and\/or we have multiple children that are not on the same sleep schedule,\u201d says Chrissy Lawler, sleep consultant, licensed marriage and family therapist, and founder of parenting sleep resource The Peaceful Sleeper<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In addition to dealing with children\u2019s inconsistent sleep schedules, the pressures and responsibilities of parenting\u2014and all that tasks and to-do\u2019s that go along with it\u2014can make it hard to get to sleep at a reasonable hour. \u201cWhen we put our children to bed at night, there are a million things to do that eat into the time we should be sleeping,\u201d says Lawler.<\/p>\n

But regardless of the challenges, if you want to feel your best\u2014as a mom and as a person\u2014you need to prioritize sleep. So how, exactly, do you do that?<\/p>\n

Sleep when the kids sleep<\/h2>\n

Before kids, you probably got all of your sleep in one long stretch (for example, from 10 PM to 7 AM). But as a new mom, with your baby needing love, attention, and food at all hours of the day and night, you\u2019re not likely to get that much uninterrupted sleep time.<\/p>\n

Which is why, if you want to prioritize sleep? You need to sleep when your baby does\u2014even if that means ignoring your to-do list. \u201cWhen your child lays down for a nap or for the night, no matter what else you have to do, grab some sleep as well,\u201d says Smith. \u201cIt\u2019s tempting to try to get some housework or errands completed, but getting rest whenever you can will pay off in the long run.\u201d<\/p>\n

Practice good sleep hygiene<\/h2>\n

When it comes to getting better (and more!) sleep as a mom, there are certain things that are out of your control; for example, you can\u2019t control when your child will wake up in the middle of the night.<\/p>\n

There are, however, things you can<\/em> control, including how you spend the hours leading up to bedtime, and whether those hours help or hinder your ability to get a good night\u2019s sleep. \u201cLeave PTA projects, emails, social media, and the latest episode of that TV show behind\u2014and focus on a more relaxing activity like reading, listening to music, or snuggling your kiddos,\u201d says Smith. \u201cAnything with a screen should be avoided, as the light in your device can cause sleeping difficulties by convincing your brain that it\u2019s daytime.\u201d<\/p>\n

The more relaxing (and screen free!) you make your pre-bedtime hours, the easier it will be to unwind and fall asleep\u2014and the better sleep you\u2019ll get as a result. <\/p>\n

Limit caffeine <\/h2>\n

When you\u2019re exhausted\u2014as many moms are!\u2014you may think the answer to getting through the day is caffeine. But while one cup of coffee in the morning is fine, anything more than that can wreak havoc on your sleep.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough you [might] feel like you\u2026need an extra cup of coffee (or five) to keep up with the demands of parenthood, too much caffeine too late in the day can keep you up all night,\u201d says Smith. <\/p>\n

According to research from the Cleveland Clinic<\/a>, caffeine can take up to 10 hours to fully clear from your bloodstream\u2014which means that 2 PM cup of coffee can inhibit your ability to fall asleep at midnight.<\/p>\n

Bottom line? If you want to set yourself up for the best night\u2019s sleep possible, \u201ctry to keep caffeine consumption to the morning,\u201d says Smith.<\/p>\n

Get outside support<\/h2>\n

There is so much to do as a mom. So, \u201cif you are finding there is not enough time in the day to get everything done and<\/em> get the sleep you need, I highly recommend outsourcing what you can [and getting outside support],\u201d says Lawler.<\/p>\n

Outside support can take many different forms. If you have a partner, it could be asking them to take on some of the night duties (like feedings) so you can get longer stretches of sleep. If you have family members or close friends you can rely on, it might mean asking them to come over and watch your kids so you can get in a nap. If you have the financial means, it could mean hiring out some of your household tasks (for example, getting your groceries delivered or using a cleaning service to clean your home) so you have more free time to catch up on sleep. <\/p>\n

And if none of those options are available to you, a great place to get the outside support you need to get more sleep? Other moms. <\/p>\n

Connect with other moms and\/or mom groups in your area; often, they\u2019ll have resources that can help you get back some of your free time (like meal swaps or babysitting trades)\u2014time you can use to get more and better sleep.<\/p>\n

Seek professional help when necessary<\/h2>\n

As a mom, there are steps you can take to get better sleep. But if those steps aren\u2019t working, it may be time to call in the professionals.<\/p>\n

\u201cConsult with your child’s pediatrician if their sleep seems unusual or irregular for their age and developmental stage,\u201d says Rohrscheib. \u201cSpeak with your doctor if you develop symptoms of insomnia or excessive sleep loss, or if you start feeling depressed or anxious.\u201d<\/p>\n

The post This Mother’s Day, Give Yourself the Gift of Better Sleep with These Tips<\/a> appeared first on Fitbit Blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sleep is important for everyone\u2014but it\u2019s especially important for moms. Here\u2019s how to give yourself the gift of better sleep this Mother\u2019s Day.
\nThe post This Mother\u2019s Day, Give Yourself the Gift of Better Sleep with These Tips appeared first on Fitbit Blog.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3435,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":""},"categories":[20,1,21,22,19],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3433"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3433"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3433\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3436,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3433\/revisions\/3436"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3435"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3433"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3433"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}