3 Things I’m Doing to Help My Own Sleep

I made a goal at the beginning of the year to really focus on and prioritize my own sleep. I know we’re only about a month into the New Year, but I have to admit, I’m doing well! When working with parents, a lot of the time I hear feedback about their baby’s sleep schedule being perfect, but now their own sleep is all jumbled up. So, I’m going to share the 3 things I’m doing to help myself sleep better - and hopefully they’ll help you too!

1. Power Down Hour
   In the final hour before going to bed, I really try limiting my screen-time usage. I have been opting to read or listen to an audiobook rather than scroll my phone. I have also stopped scrolling my phone while laying in bed. I used to feel tired and would scroll for 30 mins to get even more tired, but the effects were actually counter-productive. When I would finally put my phone away for the night, I would lay awake in bed, restless, for 30+ minutes. So frustrating considering I was SO tired going into bed.
   Since cutting out the in-bed scrolling and really cutting back on my phone usage in the last hour before bed, I am now falling asleep within 5-10 mins every night.

2. Cut Back on Late-Night Snacking
   I didn’t realize how much snacking at night was impacting my ability to fall asleep quickly. Not only is it better for my waistline, but it is also helping my sleep so much. Let me tell you why. Our digestive system warms our bodies up to start digesting the food we’re eating. But in order for a good sleep to happen, our bodies actually have to cool down. There have been studies done to actually show the impact of late-night eating and sleep. Here is a quote from one of the conclusions: “Late meal timing was associated with worse sleep pattern and quality and apnea severity than early meal timing.” Here is the link for that study.

3. Prioritizing my Sleep Environment
   I preach about an ideal sleep environment for babies and children, but I realized that I was somewhat neglecting my own. Some of the things I did to improve my sleep environment were:
   - Blackout Stickers covering tiny lights in my bedroom (on my noise machine, on the wifi extender, extension cord, my ring light, etc.). It’s crazy how much a tiny, little light can really brighten a dark room.
   - Blackout Covers on both of my windows. Personally, I use BlackoutEZ window covers in my bedroom - they attach so easily to the window with velcro, and I just love how dark they make the room.
   - Around Christmas 2024, I started using a grounding sheet on my bed. It plugs into the wall and is supposed to ground you to the earth. I am really loving it. I generally think these types of things are gimmicky, but I have to admit that I’ve been falling asleep so much quicker since using it. The specific one I use is from Premium Grounding (discount code: midnightmama).
   - I am also sleeping in comfortable pyjamas so I’m not feeling caught up in my sheets. I have also found that since having babies, I am a much ‘warmer’ sleeper. So I always make sure I’m wearing cooling pjs. Slumber Set is my favourite :)
   - I started really focusing on my bedtime routine as well - making sure I’m adequately preparing my body for a great sleep. Part of my routine includes taking a magnesium supplement, having a shower, skin care routine, brushing & flossing my teeth, getting into my pjs, and then getting into bed. This has helped my fall asleep quicker, rather than being on my phone right up until bedtime, and then tossing and turning for 30+ minutes before finally settling into sleep.

Sometimes we think that our kids are the only ones who need structured sleep, but it’s not true. As adults, we all need anywhere from 7-9 hours of consolidated sleep each night in order for us to be functioning at our best. I also hated relying on caffeine to wake me up throughout the day - I wanted a natural fix.

If there are things that you’ve tried that help you sleep better, post them in the comments below!

And of course, if you’re struggling with your own sleep because of a kiddo who’s keeping you up all-hours of the night, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I love working 1-on-1 with clients.