your girl is a sleep-lover. like, anything less than 7/8 SOLID, uninterrupted hours, and my day is totally off. i’m eating crap, drinking a boatload of caffeinated drinks, and crabbier. SLEEP IS IMPORTANT FOR THIS MOMLENNIAL. kids really threw this whole “8 hours or bust” thing for a loop, so i’ve spent the better part of the last 6 years figuring out how to sleep better and more efficiently [though i’ve refused to give up tv before bed; it’s one of my daily joys]. here are my top 3 tips for better sleep for busy moms:
1. a silk pillowcase
i have to laugh because one of the things i enjoy the most as a wife is getting my husband to do the things i do just because i tell him to #influenced. silk pillowcases are no exception in my household; if i was going to get one, so was he. for two reasons: one, it would be better for his skin. two: the bed has to match, so if we are going to sleep in the same bed, he needs to have a matching pillowcase. lucky for me, joey is so low maintenance i’m not even sure that he noticed. the hilarious thing about the silk pillowcase setup is that because cole stole my pillow to use in his own bed, he also now has a beautiful white silk pillowcase. there are a myriad of reasons to switch to silk, but below are my top:
- cleaner (think for your skin and hair)
- less friction (hopefully cutting down on split ends & wrinkles, but i also have botox to help in that department)
- overall just a nicer experience
luckily silk pillowcases have gone mainstream, so you can get them at all price points these days.
2. a no alarm alarm
there is nothing worse than being jolted from a dead sleep to some jarring sound from your iphone. i know this because i set, like, 15 of them when i have to get up and make sure i’m not late for something (like work). i recently got the hatch alarm (at target, no less!) that wakes you up with gentle noise and light, and let me tell you it’s a delightful experience. waking up “before” your alarm, or in this case with it, is a much gentler way to get into your day, and helps not completely jolt your cortisol. the one thing it can’t do is put your kid that ALWAYS wakes up at 5am on weekends back to bed, but a mom can dream, right?
3. go to bed at a reasonable time
this is honestly my biggest hack. i go to bed when my kids go to bed. i don’t stay up late (unless i absolutely need to) working on my target work, punch, or little lo co. i prioritize my sleep, because i know i’m SO much more efficient when i can be awake and alert with minimal (ok normal) amounts of caffeine during the day. it is also time i prioritize with joey because we chat about our days, work, kids, and watch a show together. i’ll take the bluelight and bonding anytime.
there you have it! my top 3 tips for better sleep for busy moms. please share any good tips and tricks you have as well, because i’m always in the market for better ways to sleep.