• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Pregnancy Logo 2018

Pregnancy Magazine

Pregnancy and infancy news, tips, and reviews

“Great
  • Pregnancy
  • Labor & Delivery
  • Baby
  • Breastfeeding
  • Buyer’s Guide
  • mom

10 Ways New Parents Can Get More Sleep

12/10/2020 by Elizabeth Pantley Leave a Comment

get better sleep

Everyone talks about ways of establishing better sleep habits for your children, but oftentimes as parents we neglect our own sleep. As you learn important things about children’s sleep, hopefully you come to realize that better rest can benefit you as well.

After working so diligently and patiently on your child’s sleep problems, you may want to take some time to improve your own sleep as well.

How to Get Better Sleep

Just as it does for your child, the quality and quantity of your sleep can affect your entire life. Getting adequate, rest is essential to your health and well-being; and it adds to your ability to be a great parent.

The following are a few helpful tips for improving adult sleep. You can browse through the list and try whatever strategies you think may be helpful for you:

  • Stop Worrying About Sleep. I know that this is easier said than done but putting pressure on yourself to get a good night’s rest is counter-productive. To avoid that horrible feeling of lying in bed worrying about not being able to fall asleep turn your clock away from your bed and gently move your thoughts to calmer topics. Give yourself permission to rest and sleep instead of feeling like you should be checking off items on your to do list.
  • Set Your Body Clock. Once the kids go to bed we finally have a chance to watch that TV show or finish up the dishes. However, always having a different bedtime and awake time is unhealthy. You will find yourself tired or alert at inappropriate times, and you can feel out of sync. Choose a specific bedtime and wake-up time and stick as close to this as possible, every day.
  • Organize Your Days. Hectic and disorganized days result in higher levels of stress, which hampers your ability to sleep well. Having daily to-do lists and being well-organized can help you turn off your brain when it’s time to go to bed.
  • Avoid Caffeine Later in the Day. Caffeine stays in your bloodstream between six and fourteen hours! That after-dinner cup of coffee is still hanging around in your system past midnight, which can obviously make it hard to sleep soundly. People are affected differently by caffeine in various forms – coffee, tea, soda, chocolate, etc – so pay attention to how you are affected.
  • Consider Effects of Other Substances. It is important to be aware of what we are putting into our bodies, and how it could be affecting us. Some medications may cause side effects that interfere with rest. An evening glass of wine or beer isn’t likely to negatively impact sleep; however, more than a glass or two can have the opposite affect and disturb the quality of your sleep. Smokers have been shown to take longer to fall asleep, wake up more often throughout the night, and have more bouts of insomnia.
  • Make Exercise a Part of Your Day. Moderate, regular exercise can reduce insomnia and improve the quality of sleep. The key to using exercise to improve sleep is to maintain a regular pattern: thirty to forty-five minutes of moderate aerobic exercise three to five times a week.
  • Create a Peaceful Sleeping Environment. Take a good look at your bedroom and make sure that it is conducive to healthy sleep. Your bed, pillow, and bedding should be comfortable for you. The temperature shouldn’t be too hot or too cold. Some people sleep better in perfect silence, while others prefer some background white noise of some sort. Cover your windows if you need complete darkness or feel free to use a night light if a soft glow helps you sleep better.
  • Eat Well and Eat Lightly. You will sleep best when your stomach is neither too full nor too empty. A large meal before bed keeps your body working to digest it throughout the night and interrupts your sleep. However, an empty stomach can also wake you up. A light snack an hour or two before bedtime is usually best.
  • Establish Your Own Bedtime Routine. You likely have implemented a bedtime routine for your children, and you can use the same concepts for your own peaceful bedtime routine. It could include reading, listening to music, a bath, or sitting down for a cup of tea. Try to avoid rushing around cleaning, answering emails, or watching an intense show right before bed.
  • Limit Screen Time. Blue light from screens can affect sleep quality. Turn your screens off with ample time before bed and replace them with books or other non-screen activities that help you relax.

These strategies can help you to improve your own quality of sleep.

Don’t hesitate to speak with your doctor if you feel like you may have medical concerns that are inhibiting your ability to rest well. Don’t forget to take the time for you in this area because a well-rested parent is a positive thing for the whole family.

Originally posted on the author’s blog.

Filed Under: Health and Fitness, Pregnancy Tagged With: better sleep

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

More to See

parent coaching

Parent Coaching: 3 Ways to Create a More Joyful Home

05/11/2021 By Sarah Moore

The perfect workout for pregnant women (sponsored)

03/28/2019 By Isa Herrera, MSPT CSCS

home

How to make sure your home is ready for the new addition to your family

11/21/2022 By Sammi DeRosia

baby shower

Just had a baby shower? Here’s how to store your new gear

06/29/2022 By Sammi DeRosia

Footer

Copyright 2021 Pregnancy Magazine Group

Emails powered by Wishpond: PregnancyWishpond

Dedicated WordPress hosting: PregnancyFlywheel

WordPress Theme: PregnancyTheme

This website provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for an examination by your healthcare provider. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Please review the Terms of Use before using this site. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by the Terms of Use.

 

Recent

  • Best Parenting Books: 28 Books That Will Change Your Life for the Better
  • Aligned Parents webinar
  • How to make sure your home is ready for the new addition to your family
  • Just had a baby shower? Here’s how to store your new gear
  • Are You Ready to Adopt A Child? Here Are the Top 7 Indications 

Search

© Copyright 2023 Pregnancy Magazine Group · All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT