From the day our kids are born (and maybe before depending on your pregnancy), sleep always seems to be a topic that sits on our minds. Learning how to prioritize sleep once the kids are older can be a huge challenge. It’s one I still struggle with often.
When you’re trying to juggle everything in your busy family’s life, sleep often seems like an afterthought. If you’re like me, you fall down in the bed at the end of a long day and hope you sleep well. But there are some simple ways we can work to make our sleep a priority as busy parents.
This post is sponsored by Spoon Sleep. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HOW TO PRIORITIZE SLEEP
When the end of the day rolls around, I find myself trying to snag a few moments for myself. Grabbing some downtime to focus on myself or even to catch up on work I might not have gotten done during the day is what usually happens.
But recently I’ve accepted that sleep is pretty important for all of us. There was a stretch recently when I know I wasn’t getting enough sleep and it was impacting the rest of my life.
As a busy parent, it can be hard to put sleep at the top of the priority list when it seems like there are so many things I need to get done.
MAKE SLEEP A PRIORITY
When I sat down and was honest with myself, I could see how my lack of sleep was affecting my life. When I’m tired, I’m not as patient as I want to be. I know when I’m more well-rested, I’m more focused and probably more productive.
So it became obvious that I needed to make my sleep a priority too. I’m always thinking about the kids and making sure they’re getting enough rest, but parents need rest too.
Taking the time to think about how a lack of sleep impacts the rest of my daily life made me realize it was time for me to make some changes.
EASY WAYS TO GET MORE SLEEP
Don’t let the thought of trying to fit more sleep into your day stress you out. When you start thinking about it as a priority, it will all work out. You will figure out how it all works for your family.
Here are some of the ways I’ve focused on getting more sleep.
CREATE A SLEEP SPACE FOR YOURSELF.
I’ll be honest, my master bedroom is the largest bedroom and had become a bit of storage space while I focused on organizing the kids’ rooms and our upstairs TV room/playroom.
It wasn’t very conducive to relaxing and unwinding. So about a year ago, I set out on a mission to makeover my master bedroom and turn it into space where we could retreat and relax.
I hunted for inspiration pieces and followed my own tips for a peaceful bedroom. I have to admit that I shocked myself with the results. It really does make a difference. Our newest addition of a new bed frame and our new Spoon Sleep mattress has turned the room into a place I want to go and relax in.
I don’t know if I should admit this, but our mattress was as old as our marriage. We got it after we got married. We celebrated 12 years this past summer so we were definitely in need of a new mattress. Our furniture was the same age and I really wanted a refresh.
The combination of a new bed and a new mattress has been great!
I love how convenient it is to get it straight to your home. With Spoon Sleep, you can go directly to their website and learn about the details of the mattresses like the sleep technology and all their materials.
WHY CHOOSE SPOON SLEEP?
The first thing that caught my eye when I was learning about the Spoon Sleep mattresses was that Spoon supports different sleep positions. My husband is mostly a back sleeper and I am definitely a side sleeper.
The Spoon Mattress is made with Spoon’s exclusive support pillars and high-density foam. The support pillars are placed strategically to provide pressure point management. The foam contours to the body to provide comfort.
Since tossing and turning in bed is how our bodies react to reduced blood or pain, the Spoon Mattress provides pressure point support and comfort. It’s also designed to keep your back aligned for healthier sleep!
For my husband and I, that means he’s getting the right give to get full contact along his spine while also getting enough cushion so the lower part of his spine is in contact with the mattress and supported.
As a side sleeper, the Spoon pillars compress in conjunction with the springs to allow space for my hips and shoulders. It ensures that I have proper spinal support and should help me avoid tightness and pain in my neck, shoulders, and hips.
I noticed the difference in my shoulders after just a few nights of sleeping on our new Spoon Mattress.
If you’re wondering how the Spoon Mattress handles two people sleeping in the same bed. The motion transfer is very minimal, even when a child sneaks up into the middle of the bed in the early morning hours!
SET A CONSISTENT SLEEP ROUTINE FOR YOURSELF.
I know I spend a lot of time setting a consistent bedtime routine for my kids. But it’s just as important to have one for ourselves!
If you have a routine, your body gets in tune and it’s easier to fall asleep. A routine can help you get more sleep and better quality sleep.
As I researched, I discovered that keeping the same routine across all seven days of the week is also recommended so you don’t throw your body. It’s not just our kids who benefit from a routine!
CLEAR YOUR MIND BEFORE BED.
One of my biggest challenges is quieting my mind when I’m trying to go to sleep. Here are some of the things I try to do to help in this area.
- Limit screentime before bed. I do it for my kids, but I’ve also started doing it for myself. I use my phone to read before bed, but I don’t use it to access anything else. I’ve stopped popping on social media to see what’s happening. I also use the setting on my e-reader app to change the lighting to a warmer setting to avoid the blue light exposure.
- No serious chats. Although my husband and I often find that the end of the day is the time when we can talk, we’ve stopped talking about serious topics before bed. We save them for when we’re both rested and awake. Otherwise, I would find myself laying in bed with my mind still on whatever we had talked about.
- Stop stressing about not being able to sleep. This one has been huge for me. We’re all going to have nights where we don’t sleep well. I used to let myself get all worked up about it which didn’t help me fall asleep. Now I work to relax and take a deep breath on those nights instead of worrying about how tired I will be.
By making simple changes in your routines and creating a relaxing sleep space for yourself, it is possible to make sleep a priority. Busy family life can make it feel challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. It just requires us to put more focus on ourselves and getting the rest we need to be the best parents we can be.
To learn more about the Spoon Sleep Mattress, visit spoonsleep.com. You’ll get free shipping and a 100-night risk-free trial! Spoon also offers adjustable bases, mattress protectors, sheets, pillows, and comforters — everything we need for a good night’s sleep!
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