articles

Sleep Deeper: Trying to Get a Few More Winks

By Jenny Steadman December 13, 2013
Sleep is elusive to those of us with small children. I imagine that even those of you with older children have trouble getting enough sleep, too. 

My kids are 3.5 and 6. We go through great sleep phases and then really terrible ones. For the past two weeks Ms. 3.5 has decided to get up during the 5am hour and bounce on our bed. Needless to say, my husband and I are exhausted! 

What are we trying to do to combat the lack of sleep? Make up for it somewhere. I have found that if I get in bed just 30 minutes earlier than usual, it makes a huge difference. Maybe not after one night but after a few nights of it, I feel so much better. The key is consistency. 

I have also started allowing myself to rest when Ms. 3.5 naps. Sometimes I sleep, sometimes I don't, but it is a very important 45-60 minutes that I carve out for myself. (Because Ms. 6 is in school all day, it is easy for me to do this. I know not everyone can!)

As parents, we like to believe we don't have time for sleep. But, the truth is, we are so much more productive when we do. It has been a while, so I want to remind you about this article from July called Sleep Deeper: The Importance of the Power Nap. Just imagine how much more productive you would be with less time if your body was well-rested. You can sleep and get it all done, too! 

Now, get to it!