How To Sleep Better
Before you scroll past this blog because you think your sleep is a lost cause, please give me a chance. I appreciate that it's not as easy as some may think when we talk about getting better sleep when pregnant or as a new Mum. There are many things out of your control which stop you from getting all the z's you'd like!
That being said, there are many steps we can all take to make sure we get as much good quality rest as possible whilst working around our personal circumstances.
These are 5 very simple things that we can all do to give ourselves the best chance of a good night's sleep.
1️. Minimise phone use for the hour before bed. Not using it at all is the ideal as the brightly lit screen and engaging content that we scroll through keeps our brain stimulated. Turn it off or on airplane mode as you wind down for bed, or at the very least dim the screen light in the evening.
2️. Create a relaxing bedtime routine. Not everyone can fit in an evening yoga class or bubble bath (as great as they are!), but taking care with your night-time skincare routine, reading a few pages of your book or a spritz of pillow spray before you turn the lights off can help massively. Anything that tells your body 'it's time to relax now' is beneficial.
3️. Don't put pressure on yourself to have the perfect night's sleep. There are many things out of your control as a Mum, and you can't help it if your little one(s) wake you up in the middle of the night. So rather than putting pressure on to sleep for X amount of hours, or getting annoyed if you lie awake at 1am, try and tell yourself that it's OK, you can still relax and you're doing what you can. Less pressure often leads to a more relaxed mindset which can help you nod off again.
4️. Go to bed slightly earlier. It doesn't have to be hours earlier (again, I know that's not always possible and also, evening adult time is precious!). However 10-15 minutes earlier can make a difference to how long you give your body to relax and go to sleep.
5️. Repeat this routine as regularly as possible. It's called a routine for a reason after all! And as I said above, the more your body realises 'it's time to relax now', the easier it will be to nod off when the time is right.
I know these sound simple, but like with a new exercise routine or trying to improve your diet - it's the small, sustainable steps which make all the difference in the longterm. Creating and sticking to these habits will make your life that little bit easier.