Never thought I’d say this but sleep (or the fact I’m getting more of it) has been a total game-changer for me.
I love sleep. I love sleep more than wine, more than cake, more than sex (well, kinda…)
My life was mental. I had a full-time job, two full-time kids, a full-time husband, a full-time blog and I spent most of my life running at top speed from one thing to another.
My downtime was spent flopped on the lounge zoned out in front of cheesy renovation shows at ridiculously late hours of the evening as its the only time I had to myself. (You can learn why this is such a mum thing, right here).
I was totally overwhelmed. Sometimes, I’d think back on my day and be like “why the fuck did I say yes to that?” or worse, I’d not even remember what I’d agreed too as my tiredness levels were obviously so bad I didn’t realise I WAS tired so I was just nodding at everyone….. go figure THAT shit out…
As humans, we need lots of sleep. Simple when you think about it logically (I mean we do need to recharge right?) but living our current stress-ridden, technologically advanced lives has created a culture where we sleep a hell of a lot less than we should do, to adequately function as normal human beings.
We have not made sleep a priority, and we should.
Things I did to get more sleep:
After having kids I now wake at the slightest noise, so I started using earplugs. What.a difference!
I ensure I down tools and go to bed at a reasonable hour (well sort of…you can’t very well pause an episode of Outlander now can you??)
I started taking Valerian tablets to get my body used to a good, restful sleep each night.
I stopped drinking during the week (well, mostly).
I’ve also realised how much I enjoy sleeping on my own. I mean, having a nice warm body to snuggle is always fun, but being woken by someone snoring, being kicked in the back during the night or having someones’ arm whack across your face is never, ever nice. It’s those types of things that ensure you don’t bloody ever get back to sleep – and then end up staring at the ceiling for hours until your body finally crashes to sleep 10 mins before your alarm goes off….
Not. Fun
How has it helped?
Sleep just one facet of the balanced life triangle…..sleep, exercise & diet. If one area suffers, it’s going to affect the rest. Ensuring you have enough of all three is the only way to keep yourself balanced.
It took a few weeks to really get into a good routine and have things settle down but it’s been such a good thing. It has helped me focus at work, be less stressed, less shouty and a hell of a lot more productive.
And just remember, ensuring you are getting adequate sleep is, in fact, vital because it’s imperative to rest and recover the energy we use during the day.
So, don’t feel bad about hitting your snooze button, your body will thank you.
Just Be You, Everyday