How To Get The Rest You Need
If you find yourself lying awake at night, despite your baby’s peaceful slumber, you may have ‘momsomnia’. Momsomnia is “a term used to describe a mom, whose child wakes her up at night but then immediately falls back to sleep, leaving the mom restless and unable to get back to sleep herself” (azdictionary.co). Implementing ways to unwind after your sleep is interrupted is key for good health.
“Find what works for you and your family: co-sleep, sleep train, whatever it takes for you to get some much needed rest,” shared Colie Lennox, Maui mother of four and blogger (colielennox.wordpress.com). She continued, “Sleep when the baby is sleeping. If naps aren’t an option, at least go to bed for the night when you put the baby to bed. Remember that this sleepless stage will pass, and before you know it, they will be putting themselves to bed and sleeping through the night.”
Tehane Baza-Triulzi, Maui mother of four, added that for her, committing to a nightly “shut down routine” is key. “I need the time to disconnect from electronics, to plan for the day ahead, and to do some self-care. This way, my brain slows down and I stop thinking about all the things left to do. I focus in on a moment for me to relax, refuel, refresh. It’s a great way to beat the momsomnia and truly find rest.”
Here are some more tips for conquering momsomnia:
- Exercise, preferably in the morning, for a calmer mood and deeper, more restful sleep.
- If you are finding yourself lying awake in bed, get up and do something relaxing, like taking a bath or doing light stretches.
- Avoid caffeine after 3pm.
- Set an early bedtime.
- Accept help. Let your partner wake up with the baby or hire a babysitter for naptimes.
- Squeeze in time to rest during the day by taking a short stroll with your child, working on a creative project, listening to music and meditating or praying.
Hopefully, after practicing some of these ways to rest, you will overcome the battle of momsomnia and be on your way to a more energetic and alert state of mind.
