I can tell you what I already know. I know for sure that if I can get my butt in bed early (between 10:00 and 10:30), I'm much better off the next day. That works very well for me, as I'm sure it does for most everyone. My challenge is actually doing it.
I'm serious here. I think my body is weird or something. Being a nightowl while 6 months pregnant with 3 other kids in the house is not a good plan. Not by a long shot. I can honestly say that I'm a little jealous of the moms who easily plop into bed around 9:00 every night. You can always tell who they are. They pleasantly hop into the shower in the morning, greet the day with a happy attitude, and do not get frazzled with the morning routine.
Personally, I plop into bed between 11:00 and midnight, shoot out of bed in the morning in a panicked state, jump into the shower using every "energizing" product available, and then proceed to get everyone ready for the day. I am also very thankful that big sunglasses are back in. Mine are big and black and hide any and all dark, puffy circles under the eyes. I will say that I do have the happy attitude, though. No one likes a grump in the morning, and no one wants to see other moms in their pajamas at school. That did happen to me once - and then I learned my lesson. Do NOT take your kid late to school while wearing mismatched pj's. Your kid will inevitably need you to walk him in that day. And you will inevitably leave your fabulous sunglasses at home. Yikes.
Here's what I need to know: If you're one of those people who easily goes to bed at a decent time, how do you do it? Do you follow some sort of routine? Are there certain things that you do NOT do? Do you drink a bottle of wine or take illegal drugs? Ok, just kidding about that one. I really would like to know, though.
I have the Ferber book for the kids, and he talks about how our bodies get into these cycles. I know I can break the habit, but it's so hard! My nights are MY time, you know? So help me out here if you can. Oh, and if your plan involves waking up at 5:00 am for a 2 mile jog, forget about it. Sorry to disappoint. :)
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9 comments:
Funny how no one has ponied up any advice... hee.
I've been making it my goal this month to call it a day by 10pm. It's 10:28 here right now, but I have actually been better lately. I think I just realized that all my "me time" past 10 was making me more insane in the long run. Thinking that way made it feel less decadent.
I'm one of those people 80% of the time. But not because it is easy. Just because I FORCE myself to do it. I feel awful when I don't.
What works for me is turning off the tv and computer screens by about 9:30. Then whatever I'm doing (reading/talking to my hubbie/packing lunches for the next day) is less likely to mask how truly tired I am.
It is also easier the weeks I am more consistent about both getting up time and going to bed time.
I had to laugh at your suggestion of a bottle of wine or illegal drugs, but it made me think. I do, on occasion, use a cuppa chamomile tea, and I'm out like a light. I realize chamomile doesn't have that dramatic effect on everyone, but Celestial Seasonings makes a tea called Sleepy Time that is helpful. Also, Hyland's makes a product called Calms Forte that I have found to be moderately effective, it's a homeopathic remedy, but I think CVS carries it.
Start getting ready for bed right after dinner =). Though I'm not really kidding...
Do anything that you need to get ready for the next day right after you're done cleaning up from dinner - make lunches, plan meals, take the meat out to thaw...so you don't find yourself rushing to do this before you go to bed.
Take a look at what you typically do in the last hour or so before you go to bed - are you starting to wind down, or are you still rushing around? Try to reschedule high-energy tasks away from that time.
Develop a bedtime routine - and stick to it. At xx p.m. you turn off the tv/computer and read for half an hour. At xx p.m. you start your nighttime beauty routine - as simple as brushing your teeth and washing your face to as complicated as a formal skin care routine - what ever you want. That will become your body's signal to really slow down.
For years I've been going to bed between nine and nine-thirty, waking up between five and six (six on the weekends, five on workdays). It takes a bit, but you not only get used to it, you eventually enjoy it.
Though I'd really like to sleep later than seven on a weekend, sometime!
Wow! When I saw your post's title on the WFMW site, I thought, "She must be talking about how to get the kids to bed earlier. I wish someone would talk about getting the *mom* to bed earlier!" since that's my problem, and then I find out that that's exactly what you're talking about! Cool!
I'm sitting here right now feeling awful because I've been up late for the last several nights, supposedly "relaxing" by using my husband's laptop. Instead, I end up frantically going from site to site (why I do that, I'm not sure - to learn something? to be entertained? to stay awake?) and then I fall asleep with my hands on the keyboard!
I'm usually in a lot of pain each day from fibromyalgia, partially frozen shoulders, and plantar fasciitis (*not* plantar warts) in my feet, and on rare occasions I really do need to sleep in the recliner, but there are a lot of times I just plain stay up after everyone else is in bed. I'm sure paying for it this week. I'm going to have to force myself to go to bed by ten o'clock through the school year (we homeschool) so that I'll feel better than I do now! I'll just make sure to take some ibuprofen or Tylenol before bed if I'm hurting.
Thanks for your great post.
~Susan
I'm still a grump in the morning, despite the early bedtimes. :) Could have a lot to do with the fact that I'm still night nursing a 3 month old.
Anyway, what winds me down is doing something relaxing before bed. Lots of times, that's wheedling my husband to play with my hair. OTher times it's a warm shower or a nice cup of tea.
Caffeine before bed is a huge NO. So is sugar.
You could always read something excruciatingly boring and drop off.
Best wishes with your pregnancy!
I don't do caffeine after noon, if I do I can never fall asleep no matter how tired I am. It's great that you still have the good attitude though, you're ahead of me! :)
I just love my sleep more than any other thing I could be doing! I go to bed at 9pm and still have a hard time waking up at 7am when the kids do. I don't eat or drink after 7pm. The Calms do work great and I think Wal Mart also sells them. When I can't sleep, I try mentally relaxing my muscles, starting from my toes and working up to my head. I'm usually out by the time I get to my middle!
I have the exact same problem. I physically cannot go to bed until 11. Its so weird, and my husband has the same problem. Even when we get in bed at 10, we stay up. Maybe I do need to retrain my brain or something!? I may try reading! That would probably calm me down!
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