Sleep Hacks for Moms

This post is made possible by a partnership with Nuvanna. All thoughts and opinions are that of my own, and any medical information should be researched further as I am not a medical professional and make no claims to be so.

Being a mom is no easy task, especially when it comes to functioning solely on willpower and coffee. Sleep is an important part of taking care of your health and mental status. Sleep deprivation, whether it's from having a new baby, co-sleeping, or just the stress of the day, can be really dangerous for moms.

What effects can sleep deprivation cause?

According to Harvard Medical School, sleeping five hours or less per night raised the risks from all causes of death by roughly 15 percent. Sleep deprivation is dangerous to your mental and physical health and can dramatically lower your quality of life.

Your risk of obesity, heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and a weaker immune system are just a few issues from not getting enough sleep.

How is a lack of sleep even more dangerous for moms?

Aside from the health issues that can arise from sleep deprivation, not getting enough sleep is really hard for moms in general. How many stories have you heard from mothers about little mistakes they've  made because they were up with the baby every 2 hours?

Let me tell you one of my own: When my baby girl was only 2 weeks old, I fell asleep with her on my chest. We were laying comfortably on the couch after a 3 am feeding, and I was exhausted. It was the first time I had fallen asleep without her in her bassinet, so when she woke up crying two hours later, I sat up really quick to get her and ended up dropping her into the floor. It was one of the scariest moments in my mom life so far, and although she was perfectly fine after the scare of being dropped wore off, it's something that will forever haunt me.

What about when a mom has to drive her kids to school? Not getting enough sleep can slow reaction times, and even cause micro-sleep (tiny mini naps where your brain shuts down for a few seconds) - can you imagine that happening when you're driving? So many things can happen!

That's why I want to share some tips and hacks to help moms get the most out of their precious sleep. 

Sleep Tip #1: Get a comfy bed

Now this one sounds like a no-brainer, but seriously - I didn't realize just how bad my mattress was until I agreed to work with Nuvanna. They sent me one of their queen-sized mattresses to try out for you guys and O.M.G. what a huge difference it's made. 

I'm a stomach sleeper, so finding a mattress that is firm enough not to make my back bow, but not so firm that my arm falls asleep when I have it tucked up under my chest. The Nuvanna mattress cradles my body while giving it enough support to help me be comfortable and wake up actually feeling like I got some sleep, no matter if a kid wakes me up for a drink or kicked-off sock at 2 am.

I've mentioned several times on here that I have fibromyalgia. I deal with being tired constantly, with aches and pains and soreness that can't really be wished away. Getting a good night's sleep is one of the best ways I've found to deal with the pain and fatigue, but without a comfortable bed, it's a near impossible feat. Since I've started using the Nuvanna mattress, I'm getting a solid 5-6 hours before waking - without following any of the other tips you'll find here. For someone who's used to waking up every hour or two, a straight five hours is a HUGE difference!

If you're waking up several times a night because you can't get comfortable, or have to try multiple positions before you're able to fall asleep, it might be time to look into getting a new mattress. You can learn more about Nuvanna on their site.

Sleep Tip #2: Don't co-sleep

Or do co-sleep, I'm not a cop. But, when you have little people that depend on you to help them fall asleep, there's a higher chance that they're going to wake up in the middle of the night, see you, and then decide right away that they have to tell you some Minecraft story or that they need you to sing 3 songs and give them 2 glasses of water and then walk them to the bathroom.

Co-sleeping is a choice many moms make because, in the beginning, it is easier to soothe your baby when they're only an arm's length away. But for toddlers and older children, letting them sleep in your bed is going to hinder the amount of sleep you get, not to mention creating unhealthy sleeping habits for your children as well. 

Sleep Tip #3: Avoid stimulants 

Before you run away screaming, I'm not saying you need to give up coffee. But studies show that consuming caffeine 6 hours before bedtime can reduce the amount of sleep you get by up to an hour! Not only can they reduce your total sleep, caffeine and other stimulants can also inhibit the amount of deep sleep you're able to get in a night, making you wake up less refreshed and more mombie.

Make it a habit to avoid all stimulants at least 6 hours before bedtime, including coffee, soda, and cigarettes. 

Sleep Tip #4: Get into a routine

Hey, we're all moms here. You're probably sick of mundane routines that are the same thing every. single. day. Humans are creatures of habit, though, and sticking to a routine helps your subconscious know exactly what to expect next. The same experts that tell you how important it is to get your kids on a consistent schedule to help their little bodies start sleeping through the night will tell you that having a bedtime routine works just as well for adults.

Maybe you can skip the rocking chair and butt pats for yourself, but starting your routine at the same time every night will do wonders for helping you unwind and get ready for bed. 

Sleep Tip #5: Don't force sleep

Some nights, sleep may elude you. Maybe you had extra stress that day, or perhaps your mind is too busy trying to plan out the meals for the rest of the week. If you lay down and sleep doesn't happen within 15 minutes, get up.

Let your body know that your bed is for sleep. Snuggle up on the couch with a good book and some chamomile tea and relax for a little while before heading to bed. Avoid screens as the light emitted from them can disrupt your natural melatonin cycles, but don't lay down until you are actually sleepy. Trying to force sleep when you aren't actually tired can cause you to lay there with a million thoughts running through your head and will take even longer for you to fall asleep.

Sleep Tip #6: Be patient
Overcoming sleep deprivation when you have little ones may take some time. Try increasing your sleep by 30 minutes a night, and focus on helping your kids get better sleep as well. It will take a couple of weeks, but once you have the sleep thing mastered, you will feel better, have more energy, and you will have a brand new outlook on the mom thing!