Sleep is a necessity for life. Without a good night’s rest, you can feel like a zombie the next day, and that’s never more true than when you’re a busy parent! And when you have a few restless nights in a row, being a parent can become more difficult than it ever needs to be.
You might struggle to get the baby to sleep, or the kids might be getting out of bed repeatedly through the night, but these are all par for the course as a parent. It’s when you yourself have troubles sleeping, even though you’re tired right down to the bone, that sleep becomes a cause for concern. And here are some potential reasons why.
Are You Napping?
Having a nap is often no big deal. Catching up on your sleep mid morning or early afternoon can do wonders for your daily energy, and naps are never going to be all that big of a disadvantage. However, if you’re napping at the wrong times, you could be setting your circadian rhythm off on the wrong foot. Get to know your rhythm!
What are You Drinking?
Are you someone who likes a drink with a kick? Maybe you’re a big coffee fan and can’t make it through a day without three or four? Or maybe you’re a huge soda fan, and love cracking open a can after work or when you’re with the kids?
Well, in doing any of these things, you might just be pushing your ability to sleep back even further. Caffeine does a lot to ‘wire’ us, but it doesn’t really do anything about the tiredness we can feel overall, so if you’re a caffeine lover, you may be ‘overtired’ on a constant basis!
How Often Do You Use the Phone?
Using the phone when you’re in bed can be a disaster for your sleep debt. The more time you spend scrolling through social media, or using gaming apps, the less time you have to wind down and settle into sleep. All in all, you’re being kept awake by the light emitting from your screen, and you might not even know it!
It Might Even Be a Disorder
Sometimes, the reason we struggle to get a good night’s sleep is due to a disorder. A lot of people live with insomnia without knowing about it, and a lot of people have sleep apnoea, which they’re never even heard of.
But don’t lose your hope yet! There are good sleep apnoea treatment methods out there, and the sooner you talk to a doctor about your belief you may be living with it, the sooner you’ll be able to fall asleep and stay asleep once again!
If you’re a tired and busy parent, make sure you’re aware of the potential mistakes you’re making when it comes to good sleep hygiene. You can get a good night’s rest, as long as you’re actually in bed and ready to settle down at a good time!
