It’s a well-known fact that when you become a parent you have to sacrifice a number of things, one of which being your sleep. However, while you know that parenthood comes with a sleep sacrifice for the first few months after your little one is born, you may not realize how utterly exhausted you will feel on a regular basis.
Parenthood is hard work, there’s no getting away from that fact, which is why it’s so important that as a parent you are as well rested as possible. Of course, there will be times when it’s impossible to get enough sleep, such as when one of your little ones is unwell. However, on a daily basis there are steps that you can take to ensure that parenthood doesn’t mean you get no rest. After all, being a mommy is an incredibly difficult job and one that you need to be well-rested to be able to do.
Wondering how you can make getting more sleep easier even when you have little ones? Read on for all of the best hacks to take note of.
Sleep when they sleep
One of the very best pieces of advice when it comes to getting enough sleep even as a parent is to sleep when your kid’s sleep (or are out of the house). While your children are too young to go to school or nursery, it’s vital that you sleep when they sleep. Naptime isn’t just a time for your little ones to get some much-needed rest but also for you to have a quick sleep.
As soon as you put your kids down for a nap, head off for a nap yourself. Struggle to sleep in the day? Invest in blackout curtains for your bedroom to create a sense of night. If you find it hard to relax and switch off, you may find aromatherapy could help – scents like lavender, vanilla and rose are all said to be fantastic for relaxation.
Master the art of your kid’s bedtime
When it comes to bedtimes, it can be a total nightmare to get your little ones off to bed. It’s almost as if as soon as bedtime strikes they turn into little monsters. The whole bedtime saga and the refusal to get into bed and go to sleep can be totally exhausting for you as a parent, especially when it occurs on a regular basis. Knowing how to get kids to sleep isn’t always easy, but the truth is that if you get into a routine with them, a routine that you stick to day-in, day-out, you should find it a little easier.
One of the best things that you can do is find a way to relax them before bed, to help ensure that they get plenty of sleep and you have enough time to relax and unwind. Turn off all screens two hours before bed, as blue light from screens can make it harder for children to fall asleep. An hour before bed, run a warm bath for them to relax in. Once they’re out of the bath, get them into their pyjamas and give them a hot milk to help them relax. Put them in bed and read them a story to help them relax and settle down. Make sure that as soon as you put them into bed, you dim the light.
Have a bedtime that you stick to
Bedtimes aren’t just about kids, they’re also about adults too. If you want to ensure that you are getting all of the rest and relaxation that you need to, it’s important that just like your kids have a bedtime that you have one too. Set yourself a bedtime that you stick to every single night, even on the weekends, to ensure that you are able to get all of the rest and relaxation that you need.
Plus, by setting yourself a bedtime that you stick to day-in, day-out, you can ensure that you get yourself into an effective sleep cycle. Sometimes, we find it hard to sleep well because we aren’t in an effective sleep-wake cycle. However, if you set yourself a bedtime that you stick to, your body clock will adjust to it and you will be ready to go to sleep at that time, ensuring that you are getting all of the rest that you need to function properly.
Parenthood is hard work, especially as it means that you can’t always get all the sleep that you need. However, that being said, once your kids are a little older you shouldn’t have to lose out on sleep, it’s just a case of knowing what steps you need to take to ensure that you are getting all the sleep that you need.
