Simple Steps to Better Sleep

Managing Your Time for Better Sleep -- and Vice Versa
By August McLaughlin, Contributor

Mothers need to take that little bit of time to create a bedtime ritual for themselves, just like they have one for their children.

— Amy Korn-Reavis, polysomnography technologist

Ask any mom what she wants more of and she's likely to say "time." Errands need running, mouths need feeding, housework awaits. And don't forget homework, carpools, extracurricular activities and careers. Most mothers sacrifice sleep, but that's one of the worst things you can skimp on.

"Sleep deprivation can lead to so many problems, the first being difficulty thinking clearly, making decisions and moodiness," said Amy Korn-Reavis, a registered polysomnography technologist in Apopka, Florida. "All of these are symptoms that many busy mothers possess. They just may not realize that a good night's sleep will help to remedy the problem."

Sleep deficiencies contribute to weight gain, high blood pressure, poor work performance and an increased risk for accidents, injury and death. Sleep difficulty affected 75 percent of the population several nights or more per week, according to a Harvard Health Publications report published in January 2006. In 2011, a "New York Times" article claimed the nightly sleep time of the average American adult dropped from more than eight hours to six and a half hours between 1960 and 2010.

The situation may be even worse for mothers. A study published in the "Journal of Community Health" in July 2011 investigated the sleep habits of 395,407 adults. The likelihood of frequent poor sleep increased with the number of children in the household.

Circumventing these challenges often boils down to one thing -- time management. Using your time efficiently allows time for restful sleep and minimizes stress, which fuels insomnia. Sufficient sleep improves daytime energy and mental sharpness, making it easier to get more done in less time. Sounds like a win-win, right? Experts agree the benefits are worth the effort.

Swapping To-Do Lists for Schedules

Before you can better manage your time, you must assess your responsibilities. For many women, that involves making a list of things to do. But a list so long it rolls out like Santa's scroll makes it easy to fixate on unfinished tasks, particularly while lying in bed ... awake. And with no plan, these thoughts can haunt you, increase frustration and disrupt sleep.

An organized schedule is a better option, says Elizabeth Scott, a Los Angeles-based stress-management writer, wellness coach and author of "8 Keys to Stress Management."

"A written schedule allows people to see where their time goes and to plan around important things like sleep," Scott said. "If there is not enough time in the schedule for eight hours of sleep and the other activities they need to take care of, it becomes easier to reprioritize and cut out commitments that are not absolutely necessary."

If you prefer pen and paper, jot your schedule on your calendar or planner. Otherwise, use the digital calendar apps on your phone or computer. Group calendar functions on smartphones can keep the entire family updated, says Scott. The important thing isn't how you record your schedule, but that you do.

"When people know where their time goes and know that they DO have enough time for everything they have committed to, there is less rushing, less stress," Scott added.

Keeping Sleep Routines

"Routine" and "parenting" can seem like a foolish pairing when your children are rapidly growing and changing. But the more established your bedtime routine becomes, the better off your whole family is likely to be.

"Mothers need to take that little bit of time to create a bedtime ritual for themselves, just like they have one for their children," said Korn-Reavis. "It does not have to be long, but it needs to be something they can repeat daily at the same time right before bed."

Most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Count backward from your wake time, then add a bit of time for relaxing activities. Korn-Reavis recommends stretching for a few minutes, meditating or practicing slow breathing before you wash up and turn in.

"By repeating this type of routine every night, you tell your mind it is time to relax and get ready to sleep," Korn-Reavis said.

Maintaining a solid morning routine is equally important -- time and sleepwise.

"If I get a lousy night's sleep but let myself sleep in, I'm just going to perpetuate that cycle," said Fafani Weinzierl, an education specialist in school psychology and a busy mom in Madison, Wisconsin. "I've found if I get up every morning at the same time, no matter how rough the night was, I can get to sleep then at night about the same time."

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/feature_12237588_simple-steps-better-sleep.html#ixzz2dOw5duyh

Finding Time for Yourself Is Perfect Parenting

Finding Time for Yourself Is Perfect Parenting

“Having a social life gives your children permission to have one too, and it helps them develop into completely secure adults.”

— Ellie Slott Fisher, author and relationship expert

For many folks, having a social life is usually relegated to slivers of free time found once operating all day, serving to with schoolwork, cheering at association football follow and bagging lunches.

While the proverbial "me time" will appear elusive once your priority is raising healthy and happy kids, specialists say that creating time for yourself is as essential to your kids because it is to you and your spouse equivalent.

Instead of feeling guilty concerning taking personal time, place confidence in what having a lively social life will teach your kids, says author and relationship professional Ellie Slott Fisher.

“If you’re forever reception each Saturday night, as your kids age they'll begin to feel chargeable for your social life,” Fisher aforementioned. “Having a social life offers your kids permission to possess one too, and it helps them change into fully secure adults.”

Creating ME Time

Finding space in your daybook for you doesn’t need to be a juggling act if folks order it and rethink their perception of "parent-time" versus "child-time," says Mia Redrick, a method coach for busy mothers and also the author of “Time for Mom-Me: 365 Daily methods for a Mother's Self-Care.”

Parents usually miss out on surprising opportunities for private time whereas running errands or shuttling youngsters around, Redrick says. That’s why she recommends that along side packing backpacks or snacks for your youngsters, folks ought to prepare a outfit for themselves that may embody things sort of a nice book, a journal, music or perhaps a jump rope.

“If suddenly quarter-hour open up, you'll then move to your outfit and do one thing that you simply like to do,” Redrick aforementioned. “Parents usually don’t set up for self-care. If you pack a outfit, you'll ‘date yourself’ where you're.”

Another me-time technique is to mix your schedule along with your child’s, Redrick says. rather than observance your youngsters at soccer follow, select a jog or do some lunges and squats, as an example. whereas your youngsters ar in dance category, you'll visit a close-by store or coffee bar, Redrick adds. Or higher however, see if the studio offers a coinciding adult category.

“I forever tell folks that once you’re doing one thing for your kids, do one thing for you, too,” Redrick aforementioned.

Making Room for Couple Time

Having a weekly or monthly date night is a very important way to keep connected and keep the romance alive, however folks area unit typically fast to cancel or delay date night once it gets too busy, Redrick says.

One way to stay to this point night is to shop for tickets to a film or show ahead, so your commitment becomes a financial one further as a private one, she says. folks might even pre-pay a dailyday} keeper to come back every alternative Friday night, as an example, notwithstanding they need however to form plans. Having that regular appointment implies that plans got to be created before the sitter arrives, Redrick says.

Date night doesn’t got to price plenty of cash either, she adds. It will be as straightforward as exertion along or observance a pic with a bowl of popcorn when the youngsters have gone to bed.

Cathy Fleischer, a busy mother of 2 boys in Mesa, Arizona, is aware of only too well what happens once couples don’t attempt to outlay time along. a number of years past, she and her husband were thus committed work and their children’s activities that they were like 2 ships passing within the night, she says.

“We were argument and that we simply weren’t connecting,” Fleischer same. “So we have a tendency to united that we have a tendency to had to try to to one thing, and therefore the resolution was that we might have a contented hour for ourselves on Friday afternoons.”

Her husband is in a position to induce home early from work and that they have drinks and appetizers on their area, Fleisher says.

“It thusunds so silly, however that’s what place North American country back on the right track,” Fleisher same. “It’s really easy to induce into a rut, and you'll be able to don't have any plan it's happening, thus you actually got to create a trial.”

In addition to this point night, couples also can arrange a weekend away along each few months or take associate degree annual vacation sans children.

Single folks might even notice it tougher to form qualitative analysis a priority, says relationship professional Fisher. She suggests that single folks attempt to a web qualitative analysis membership or be part of a gaggle that meets frequently for activities, outings or volunteer work. they may additionally read their children’s activities or parent teams as opportunities to satisfy alternative single folks, Fisher adds.

Scheduling Time for Friends

Spending time with friends and community members also can be an excellent thanks to perk up your soul, consultants say. With enough pre-planning, anyone will produce an everyday cluster event or cluster outing that accommodates several busy schedules, says Debbie Lillard, knowledgeable organizer and author of “A Mom’s Guide to Home Organization: straightforward Solutions to regulate litter, Schedules and Stress.”

When her youngsters were in grade school, Lillard was a member of a monthly wine club only for folks that met on Sunday afternoons from four to six p.m., as an example.

“It was straightforward to induce a keeper that point as a result of there’s sometimes not an excessive amount of occurring then, and my husband and that i got an opportunity to pay time with alternative couples,” Lillard same.

Parenting clubs and parent boards in class or baseball league are nice ways that to remain connected to the community and create new friends, Lillard adds. Say your kid is concerned in sports or theater. you'll be able to create associate degree outing with fellow folks once there's a game or a performance.

Making regular time for friends is a very important thanks to recharge and obtain recommendation from sure folks outside of your immediate family, adds Mary Ann Settembrino of Lower Merion territorial division, Pennsylvania. doubly a year for the past eighteen years, Settembrino has hosted 2 women’s-only Golden Globes and award viewing parties -- and there’s a rule that guests will solely return carrying sweats or pajamas.

“The parties take me back to the fact that despite the fact that we have a tendency to get busy and don’t see one another typically, these relationships area unit alive and well, regardless of what happens,” Settembrino same. “My children additionally get to envision ME having a commitment to relationships outside of the immediate family, and that’s vital.”