Inside: No matter how tired you are, sometimes it's sooooo hard to actually fall asleep. Here are 7 natural "sleep aids" to help you get the rest you need.
There goes my mind again, sifting through every “embarrassing” thing I said that day.
There goes my mind again, reminding me of everything I forgot to do.
There goes my mind again, imagining what would have happened if he wouldn’t have jumped out of the way when that car rushed around the corner.
The lights are out, the moon is dim, and the air is cool on my face and warm under the blanket around my torso. But still - I cannot sleep.
Calm down, mind! I tell myself.
Count sheep - that usually helps!
Breath heavy and deep; relax your eyelids.
But nothing is doing the trick.
::
I bet I’m not alone in this experience. Your worries or thoughts are probably different than mine, but they are there, nonetheless - and keeping you from getting the sleep your body is desperate for.
But you’ve been running on 4 hours a night for months (years?) so you’re fine. Right?
No. You’re not fine mama. You need more, and better, sleep.
3 Reasons Why Moms Need More Sleep
Before we get to the 7 natural sleep aids, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page about the importance of sleep. Because, if we don’t actually believe in the power of sleep, then there’s no reason to keep reading (or writing).
So here are three big reasons sleep is important for you as a mama:
Sleep is when your brain recharges and rejuvenates - and after a full day with kids and schedules and cleaning and cooking and laundry, we all need some major recharging!
Good sleep strengthens your immune system, allowing your body to fight off disease and sickness - and we all know when mama is sick, there’s no laying around on the couch bingeing Gilmore Girls!
Proper sleep increases your focus, creativity, and problem solving skills - all three of which you need to parent those rambunctious, ever learning and growing kiddos of yours!
The Elephant In The Room
Still, there’s one more issue we need to address when it comes to sleep: our kids.
Even if you agree we need more sleep, how do we do that when we have kids?! Either they aren’t sleeping through the night and are keeping us awake, or someone is sick, or we’re playing catch up after a full day and can't seem to get to bed at a decent hour!
I get it. And I don’t want you to leave here feeling discouraged. As mamas, there are many times when we just will not be getting the sleep we think we need.
And while I’m here right now telling you you need more sleep, it’s OK if in seasons of motherhood you just aren’t getting what you need.
God knew you were going to be a mama, and the lack of sleep doesn’t take Him by surprise. He has given you the body you need to take care of yourself and your babies. So take encouragement from that.
But, still, living in a sleep deficit long-term should not be the norm. Don’t plan on being tired and exhausted for the next 10 years!
While there are days and weeks when less sleep is impossible to avoid, as a habit and as part of our NORMAL routine, it’s vital that we are disciplined to do what we can to get the kind of sleep that truly rejuvenates us.
If we can agree on that, then let's go on.
Here are 7 natural “sleep-aids” for moms. I’ve listed them in the order that I suggest you try them in. Start with the first option listed. If it works - you’re good! If not, move on to idea #2, and so on.
Let’s go!
7 Natural Sleep Aids for Moms
1. Pray
While listening to a podcast several months ago, I heard the host talk about how whenever she wakes up in the middle of the night, she assumes it’s a sign from God to start praying for someone in her life.
And so she prays.
I started to do the same, and I discovered not only did it serve as a good reminder to pray for people in my life more, it also helped me go back to sleep faster.
There’s something about taking the attention off ourselves, and focusing on others, that’s calming and peace-giving, right?
If you find yourself lying awake in bed, or waking up in the night and unable to fall back to sleep - start praying.
2. Get rid of your phone
Not permanently (though, let’s be honest, is that such a bad idea?), but for the evening and night. Get off your phone, put it in a designated spot out of reach, and stay off your phone for at least 1 hour before bed.
Otherwise, the light + information assault will keep your brain running and on edge for hours.
Put down the phone.
3. A brain dump
Can it be that simple? Yes, sometimes it can.
Next time you catch yourself lying in bed with your mind racing, get up, grab a notebook and pen, and write down everything that's on your mind. Jot it down in bullets, or write out paragraphs.
But get it out of your brain!!
Your head is a dangerous place for thoughts to rest. They tend to morph and form into messy balls of tangled yarn.
When thoughts stay in my head, they often get jumbled and tightened into impossible knots. Inside my mind there’s no place to stretch them out and examine them.
But the page provides a place. The page offers space to lay those thoughts out so they can be looked at and sorted through.
The page is the place they can be filtered and crossed out and measured for their importance.
Don’t let the thoughts run loose inside your mind.
Put them down. Organize them. Examine them. Make them prove their validity.
And then get to sleep!
4. Eat a dinner that contains sleep-promoting foods
You’ve heard it said:
“You are what you eat”
So if you want to be sleepy, then eat foods that help you accomplish that goal 🙂
Tryptophan is an amino-acid that calms the body and induces sleep. It’s no surprise that turkey is full of tryptophan (that’s what makes the post-Thanksgiving dinner so dang relaxing!).
Head over here for more ideas on how to use food to make you sleep better at night.
5. Try adding more calcium and magnesium to your diet
Both magnesium and calcium help calm your brain and get your body into deep sleep. You can get more of both via foods that you eat during the day, or you can take a supplement like this to add more into your diet. Pro tip: if you ever have hemorrhoids, this is a game changer as well (TMI??)!
6. End your day with Passion flower tea
Not only will a cup of tea and a good book help you sleep more deeply, the right kind of tea can also help you fall asleep faster.
Passion flower tea is one of the best teas to help turn off your brain at night. Couple that with valerian root tea, and you’ll be oh-so-ready for that sleep you're needing.
7. Melatonin Supplement
If, after trying all the suggestions above, you still can’t seem to fall asleep - it might be time to try some melatonin.
Our bodies naturally make melatonin, but sometimes the production of melatonin gets out of whack.
Melatonin is a hormone that helps our bodies regulate the 24-hr sleep-wake cycle we all run on. So adding a bit of a supplement to your body's already naturally produced melatonin might be just what you need.
Since I’m no doctor, check out this article by Dr. Axe that explains more about melatonin and its effects.
Take action on one of these natural sleep aids
Don’t lie in bed, waiting for sleep to come. It may not (at least not for hours). Start taking action to make the sleep come a little easier.
That might mean heading to amazon and grabbing some tea and magnesium powder.
That might mean getting up right now (yes, right now!) and putting a notebook and pen by your bed.
That might mean setting up a designated phone area and distancing yourself from your phone by 7 PM each evening.
That might mean planning dinner now, so you can make sure it's ready earlier and contains some good sleep-inducing foods.
Whatever that means for you, take action mama! And let’s get more and better sleep.
I’m rooting for you!
