Sleep, it’s so important but it’s not always easy to come by. Especially when you’re a mom. You spend your entire day taking care of your family, keeping them on schedule, cooking, cleaning, and driving all around town. Which is why getting a good night sleep and recharging your batteries is so important.

We’ve all had those days where we didn’t get enough sleep the night before. You wake up cranky, have less patience, and just feel like your running empty. And the only thing that gets you through the day is a very strong cup of coffee, or three.

If you find yourself struggling to get enough sleep at night, don’t worry there are things you can do to help yourself get the sleep you need. So you can wake up feeling well rested and ready to tackle whatever the day throws at you.

3 Reasons You’re Not Getting Enough Sleep and How to Fix it

Reason 1 – As soon as the kids are in bed you spend hours scrolling through social media

Being a mom usually means you spend ALL day fielding questions about what, why, how, and how come. So it’s incredibly easy to get in the habit of zoning out on your phone once the kids are asleep and before you know it its 11 pm. Although this type of mindless entertainment might be fun at the moment, it’s giant time and energy waster.

Not only is it a waste of time, screen use prior to bedtime can negatively affect sleep quality. The blue light emitted from the screens have been shown to throw off the body’s internal clock. Which can make it harder to fall asleep and reduces the quality of your sleep.

The Fix –

SET A TIMER ON YOUR PHONE – Give yourself a set amount of time on your phone or computer for around 20 minutes or so. Then set your phone’s timer and once it goes off put the screen down. This allows you to still check social media or catch up on the news but helps to make sure you’re doing it for a reasonable amount of time.

SPEND SOME TIME ON SELF-CARE – Finding time to take care of yourself when your a mom is difficult but its incredibly important. Instead of spending time on your phone or computer at night take that time to do some small things for yourself.

You can give yourself a pedicure, try some new DIY facemasks, like this Easy DIY Charcoal Face Mask . Or take a long hot relaxing bath with these DIY Muscle Relaxing magnesium Bath Salts. Taking this time to yourself will help you to relax which leads to a better night sleep.

Reason 2 – You can’t fall asleep because you can’t stop thinking about your To Do list, tomorrows schedule, etc

Being a mom means that you’re normally juggling a million and one things. It’s to easy to find yourself laying in bed at night going over the next day’s schedule, thinking about things you need to get done or putting together a mental list of what you need to pick up from the grocery store instead of sleeping.

The Fix –

WRITE IT ALL DOWN – If you find that you can’t sleep because you’re distracted by your thoughts then keep a notebook on your nightstand and write everything down. It doesn’t have to be a fancy bullet journal or anything complicated. Just a small notebook to keep track of your thoughts. Once they are on paper and out of your head it’s much easier to shut off your mind and get some sleep.

The next morning take a few minutes to go over whatever you wrote down in your notebook and transfer it to the right place. Add it to your grocery list, calendar, or To Do list for the day.

ESTABLISH A FAMILY CALENDAR ON GOOGLE CALENDAR – Google Calendar is an easy way for you and your spouse to update the same calendar easily on your phones. The best part is it’s completely free, unlike a lot of other family calendar apps. Just download the app onto your phone and you and your spouse can both add and access the information.

This way you both know upcoming appointments, sports practices, and other events. Which helps reduce miscommunication and keeps everyone on the same schedule. Do a quick calendar review once the kids got to bed and that’s one less thing you’ll have on your mind at night.

USE A NOISE MACHINE – Playing a noise machine is a great trick to help you fall asleep when you can’t seem to shut your brain off. Find a soothing sound you like and focus on that sound instead of your thoughts. One trick I use is to turn on the sounds of the ocean and picture myself sitting on a nice quiet beach at sunset. Whenever my thoughts start to race I just go back to that image of me on the beach and I’m normally asleep in no time.

Reason 3 – you’re just not tired

So this can be a tricky one but I’m sure everyone has experienced it before. You go to bed only to find yourself laying there wide awake and unable to fall asleep for no good reason. If you find this happening to you regularly there are a few different things that can you can do to before you hit the pillow to help get the sleep you need.

The Fix –

TAKE A HOT SHOWER OR BATH – Taking a warm shower or bath about an hour before you go to bed naturally helps your body fall asleep. This is because the change in your body temperature from a hot shower to a cold room signals your brain that it’s time to go to sleep. Make nightly showers a habit and your body will adjust your circadian rhythm so sleep will come much easier.

CREATE A CALMING AND RELAXING ENVIRONMENT – Set the mood for sleep by creating a sleep space that is calm and relaxing. Keep your space clean and your bed made. Use soft bedside lighting and avoid bright overhead lights. Use essential oil diffuser with essentials oils such as lavender or chamomile that are known to help induce sleep.

READ A GOOD BOOK– Have you ever found yourself reading a book and after just a few minutes your fighting to stay awake? This is because reading is a calming almost rhythmic activity that helps to calm you which can quickly bring on sleep. Keep a book on your bedside table and spend just a few minutes right before bed reading and you’ll be asleep in no time

EXERCISE DURING THE DAY – Making exercise a regular part of your daily routine can help not only help you fall asleep easier at night but it can also help improve your sleep quality and reach a deeper level of sleep. Meaning you’ll wake up feeling refreshed and energized.

You don’t need a gym or fancy equipment to do this either. There are tons of video on youtube that will walk you through workout routines using only your body weight. Or you can put the kids in the stroller or on their bikes and get outside for a run or a vigorous walk.

GO TO BED AT THE SAME TIME EVERY NIGHT! – Going to sleep at the same time every night helps to set your body’s internal clock. It allows your body to create a natural rhythm. Which allows you to fall asleep quicker and sleep deeper. Going to bed at a consistent time can be difficult when you have very young children. Just do the best you can to go to sleep around the same time every night and eventually as your kids get older you’ll be able to make it a solid habit.

Do you have any tips or tricks that help you get a good night sleep? If so I would love to hear about them in the comments below! Sweet dreams!