As a new mom, your life is basically a rollercoaster of every emotion known to humankind. One hour can be full of laughter and incomparable joy, the next tears, and sheer terror. It can be hard to get good sleep, trust me, I know. But you need to get better sleep!
How to Get Better Sleep as an Exhausted Mom
No matter how many times you hear it in advance, nothing can prepare you for how exhilarating and exhausting becoming a parent actually is. Your days are so full that sometimes you struggle to fathom how you even remain upright, yet you do. You have to!
The trouble for many moms is that no matter how exhausted you are, sometimes you still can’t get to sleep. Arrrrrgggh! What gives? How can you get better sleep?
Chances are it’s a combination of things, hormones, pure anxiety, simple over-tiredness. Whatever the reason, new mothers often end up barely scraping by on far too little shuteye. Which is a big problem because to be the best mom you can be, you need to well-rested.
Don’t despair, however, fortunately, there are a few simple ways to combat the exhaustion of being a new mom…
Accept help
Let’s start with something that should be so easy to do but that so many new mothers struggle with – asking for help.
Many new moms’ feel that they are being judged, by their peers, partners, step-moms, etc, etc. So many new moms often feel that they have to be supermoms and do it alone. You don’t!
Being a mom is the hardest thing you will ever do. Being a first-time mom is even tougher. You are going reach breaking point more times than you know. The trick is to know when to ask for help and ask for it!
Even easier, when someone offers to help you, for Christ’s sake say yes!
The offer could come from a partner, a parent, an aunt, a friend or even a kindly neighbor. It could be an offer to babysit for an evening or maybe even an offer to take junior to the park for a few hours. Whatever the offer, big or small, accept it. The second your snipper snapper is out of your sight your head should be hitting that pillow. Never underestimate the power of the power nap.
Nobody is going to judge you for accepting a little help. Nobody is going to think any less of you. These people are your loved ones and they are genuinely happy to help.
Maintain a healthy diet
One of the most common errors new moms make is failing to fuel their body’s properly. It’s completely understandable, you often feel you simply don’t have the time to sit down and have a proper meal. Instead, you’re charging around making sure junior has had his feed/isn’t choking on a carrot.
Going without food or eating poorly, means sacrificing your health. Instead of healthy meals, too many moms turn to snacks to keep them going. The result of this is regular spikes in your blood sugar levels which plays havoc with your energy levels. You might end up exhausted at lunchtime and then bouncing off walls when it comes to bedtime.
I know it can be hard but it is essential that moms maintain a healthy diet. By this, I don’t mean existing only on avocado toast and wheatgrass smoothies. No, I meant ensuring that no matter how busy you think you are, you still sit down for a hearty breakfast and a substantial lunch.
Where possible stock the cupboards with healthy alternatives to snacks. Certain foods, like kiwis, walnuts, bananas, and almonds are well-known sleep promoters. So chowing down on a packet of chips, make yourself a banana sandwich instead. Your sleep will thank you.
Invest in a good mattress
We spend a full one-third of our lives in bed asleep or at least trying to sleep. Yet so few of us give the slightest bit of attention to the thing we sleep on. Having a mattress that is fit for purpose can have a huge impact on how well we sleep.
What’s more as a new mother you are likely going to go to bed each night feel a little bit battered. Babies are heavy things (and they get progressively heavier!) and you have after all been picking one up all day long. You need a sleeping surface that is going to help soothe your aches and pains, not add to them.
Ensure that your mattress is free of lumps, sags, and creaks. If you do suffer from back pain like many moms then it can be a very good idea to invest in the right sleeping surface for your body.
There, you have it three tips to help you rediscover your sleep mojo as a new mother. The above is by no means an exhaustive list – there are many little hacks you can make to your daily schedule to ensure you get better sleep.
The single most important thing to understand is that to be a good mom you simply have to get enough rest. Sacrificing your own health is not a sustainable option.
