I know it’s kind of ridiculous that I’m the one writing about how to get enough sleep. I mean after all, I’ve hardly slept an entire night in the past YEAR. Between being pregnant with twins and then having them, I’ve been in a pretty sleep deprived state for a while.
However, at the same time, I feel like I’ve made some huge improvements in my sleep quality. Even though I don’t sleep as many hours in a row as I used to, I’m less anxious at night and I’m sleeping much better. Here’s some background:
I used to have such a hard time falling asleep. I’d ask my husband to make up stories or shake his legs a little to to help lull me to sleep. I know it sounds crazy (and he’s a total saint) but it worked for me. I don’t know why but at night is when all my anxieties crop up. It’s like after an entire day of being laser focused, my mind is finally free and open for millions of thoughts to come rushing in.
And, it’s not like they were simple thoughts like the groceries we needed or an e-mail I needed to send. They were always ridiculously upsetting thoughts about the state of the world or worrying one of my parents was going to die – you know, things you really don’t need to be thinking about when you’re trying to go to bed – things that have no basis in reality.
So, with the help of my hubs who was probably tired of making up stories to distract me into sleep, I’ve created a bit of a routine to help me shut down. If you have trouble sleeping and are prone to being sensitive like I am, here are some tips:
How to Get Enough Sleep
1. No violent shows/movies/conversations.
I am an empath through and through. I’ve learned that if I watch violence on TV or even talk about really depressing news in the few hours before I go to bed, it weighs on me and literally keeps me up at night. Now, I just say no to all that and instead I play with my kids, try to take a bath after they go to bed, do a little blogging, read a magazine, and in general try to keep things lighthearted.
2. Make my bed every day.
Hubs loves it when the bed is made, so I really try to do that for him before he comes home from the hospital. If I can’t manage it for whatever reason, I at least try to make it nice before I go to sleep. There’s just something about fresh, clean linens, pjs, and just a nice atmosphere in general to help me sleep.
3. Stick with the same routine.
I find that most people react well to repetition. So, it’s good to use the same aromatherapy lotion
after your shower for example or play the same white noise station every night or something else. I’ve learned that my two babies react extremely well to routine and repeating the same things every night, so there’s no reason why it shouldn’t work for me!
Of course, everyone is different and might have varying levels of issues with sleep but overall closing down your mind, relaxing, doing a little reading, and having some repetition should help you at least make some improvement with your sleep issues.
Do you have trouble sleeping or a sleep routine you recommend?
Good tips! We are serious about our sleep and follow almost the exact same routine every day. We get up together at 6am daily (no snooze button-ing) and try to go to bed between 9:30 and 10 every night. I used to be the most horrific offender of staying up too late and then hitting snooze all morning, but Mr. Frugalwoods has broken me of the habit (although I’d probably still do it if he wasn’t nudging me out of bed…). We also make our bed together every morning–I do like a tidy room :).
You two are so regimented. I want to be you when I grow up seriously!
I have fortunately never had trouble falling asleep, except when I was 5 and afraid of the dark and I think that experience taught me how to fall asleep fast. However, Will has a tough time and it’s hard for me as a parent to watch my child struggle with sleep. For him it helps to play a meditation before he goes to bed and we use scents like lavender to try to calm him. My friend has started selling essential oils and that will probably be our next step.
I remember talking to you about this. You and Bill and Hubs and I are opposites in that respect haha!
It takes me some time to drift to sleep because much like you, my mind is constantly racing! I listen to soft music and that helps me to relax faster so I can reach do do land.
I will try the music – I’ve tried white noise and it doesn’t work that well for me!
My mind tries to race as I go to bed, so I have to work hard at shutting it down. Sometimes I do mindful breathing – it works every time!
I’m so glad that works for you. I’ve really tried that but the thoughts jump in anyway!
I seem to have trouble sleeping about once a month. Like.. On a cycle…
The scary tv is a big one for me to avoid!
Huh that’s interesting! And yeah I can’t do the tv stuff!
I struggle with this hardcore! The biggest issue I have is that I’m a night owl and get energy around 10pm or so, regardless of how sleep deprived or tired I was all day. I get up at 6am (at the latest) so this doesn’t bode well for me.
I know. You and I are similar in that respect. Night owls to the core!
I HATE watching scary things or the news before bed. I get super wound up. I also make my bed everyday. I love coming home and seeing everything organized.
Haha I could use you over here for sure!
The consistent schedule is an important one. It took me many, many years to figure out just how so! I now am super tired and fall asleep quickly most nights, and wake up 5 or 10 minutes before my alarm almost every morning. Even on the weekends I am up bright and early and ready for the day. And for years I thought I wasn’t a morning person. Turns out my body just wanted consistency!
I don’t even know what it’s like to wake up BEFORE an alarm. I have to get better at this!
I try to stay away from electronics for at least an hour before bedtime. I always get hyped up when sitting in front of the computer for some reason!
This sounds really lame, but I have trouble sleeping when my husband, Mark, isn’t home.
He’s part of my “normal” bedtime routine, and when he’s not there, I can toss and turn for hours.
To get to sleep, I listen to guided meditations. They help me calm down and focus on relaxation. It doesn’t always work, but at least when Mark’s gone, I can sleep in as long as I want 😉
That’s not lame at all. I’m the same way!
I absolutely suck at getting to sleep. Like you, that’s when my anxiety crops up, and my mind starts going places I wish it wouldn’t. It’s the oddest thing! This isn’t a good tip at all, but instead of trying to force myself to go to sleep, I just stay up until I’m falling asleep in my chair. I can plop into bed and go right to sleep from there. I also cannot sleep in silence – I have to have a fan on for background noise!