First let me begin by saying I am definitely a sleeper! I require a lot of sleep (8 hours is ideal) and am definitely not one of those people who can function on six hours of sleep or less. When I crawl into bed my ideal conditions are the following: TV off, lights off, quiet and Greg by my side. If the TV has to be on cause that's what Greg needs, then my stipulations include shows that are happy, lighthearted and funny. Nothing that is gonna boost anxiety right before drifting off to sleep. Now, most nights I don't get lucky enough to have all four of those things happen, but when they do I am the most relaxed.
So as for my restless nights...I think I am gonna have to blame technology. With my two boys birthday's both coming up next week, I have spent my evenings on my iPad, navigating pinterest, amazon, party websites, etc. looking for the perfect gift, just right party decor, menu and cake ideas. Needless to say, my head was spinning by the time I turned out the light. So tonight I am going to do an experiment...no technology in the form of surfing the net tonight right before bed, and let's see what happens! I am going to put my ideal sleep conditions in motion and hope for the best!
I have to say, I think sleep is totally underestimated, for both kids and adults. Let's talk little ones first. I am a big proponent of sleep training at an early age, teaching my kids to soothe themselves, and sticking to a predictable sleep schedule especially when they are babies. Some may say I'm a little crazy when it comes to sleep for my kids, but I am a strong believer that good sleep breeds more good sleep. E has always been an amazing sleeper and continues to be today at almost seven years old. J was a great sleeper until his baby brother was born, and then we experienced a rough patch. I drove myself crazy trying to figure out what shifted for him that was causing him to wake up in the middle of the night? After months and months of searching for answers, I let it go and chalked it up to a "phase." I am happy to report that I think that "phase" is coming to a close. Then there is Z, who has been sleeping through the night since he is four months old. His nights continue to be good for the most part (there is definitely the occasional screaming in the middle of the night) but there is some shifting with naps. We are in between that two naps or one nap place. Lucky for me, all three of my kids love their "Mimis" (named by E when she was a baby), which is essentially like a lovie or blanket. Thanks to a little lamb, monkey and dog my three loves snuggle up at night and drift off to sleep. That being said, my kids are at their best when they are well rested...and they know this about themselves too. It is not uncommon for J to say to me, "Mommy, I think I wanna take a rest today." He is snug in bed as I type my blog now, taking a mid-day snooze.
They say in yoga that savasana (also known as corpse pose or final relaxation) is the most difficult to master. You might beg to differ. What could be so difficult about resting your body flat on a mat at the end of a rigorous yoga class? Well, this point was proven perfectly earlier in my blog. The ability to completely relax and let go can sometimes be the most challenging of all. However, with that challenge comes great rejuvenation, clarity and sense of peace. So the next time you are tossing and turning in your bed, or maybe in a yoga class or lying on a beach...think of the benefits of "turning it all off" and being present with yourself in a complete state of relaxation and calm.
And then of course there is sleep from a decorative point of view. Might sound weird to you but there is real truth to this. Have you designed your bedroom to be the kind of place that will allow you to feel calm, relaxed and happy at the end of the day? Everything from colors to furniture to lighting can effect how feel in that space. Is there a desk in your room piled with "to do" lists" Is your ipad sitting on your nightstand? Do you sleep with a baby monitor on? Do your window treatments block out enough light on those sunny mornings? Does your wall color feel soothing and calm to you? Does the lighting in your bedroom enable you to relax at the end of the day? All things to be considered.... :)
What do you do to ensure a good night's rest? :)
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