I’ve always been a great sleeper but lately stress and kids waking me up has really impacted my sleep quality. This is completely new territory for me as I’ve always been such a solid sleeper. I’ve done a few things to try and fix this issue; I sauna before bed, I try to get to bed earlier, I take Pascoflair Night, and I TRY to set my kids up so they will sleep through the night.
Sauna
My days are stressful. Working from home almost full time paired with school drop offs, sports, play dates, taking care of two young kids, and cooking and cleaning has turned me into a walking ball of stress.
I bust out my portable sauna and try to sweat after the boys go down while enjoying a show with Ryan. Using a sauna is supposed to release muscle tension and relax your body helping with sleep. I’ve found it really helps me wind down at the end of a stressful day.
Go to Bed Earlier
Thanks to my Garmin sleep tracker, I know that the majority of my deep sleep happened in the first half of the night. This is also when the boys tend to stay asleep (more on that later). If I can get to bed at 8 and be asleep by 8:30 p.m. I am able to get more deep sleep than if I go to bed after 10 p.m.
Pascoflair Night
I’ve started using Pascoflair Night too as it’s a homeopathic sleep aid meant to be used as a sleep aid during times of mental stress. Ding! Ding! Ding!
This sleep tablet contains valerian, lemon balm and passionflower and helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. Because it’s natural, there is no risk of hangover or grogginess in the morning which is a must for me.
I take it before bed knowing that it’s natural and non-habit forming. You can find over-the-counter (no prescription needed) with other natural sleep aids/medications.
Set My Kids Up To Sleep
My kids’ sleep schedules are so out of whack with summer winding down! One gets up between 12- 2p.m. every night saying he’s scared. We either have back and forth fights to get him into bed or accept it and let him sleep in our bed which is very uncomfortable. The other suddenly gets up 3-5 times a night because he wants a bottle or his diaper changed (he’s two). It’s EXHAUSTING!
I’m trying to get them set up to sleep better by encouraging more outside play, having a bedtime snack, and bathing before bed. We’ll see if this makes a difference.
All I know is that I HAVE to get back to my old sleep habits. People always asked where my energy came from and it’s from sleep and coffee! Sleep quality is essential for a happy and healthy life. Happy snoozing!
