Sanity Savers: 10 Ways to get more sleep

Dark under-eye circles? Surviving on endless cups of coffee? Sleep definitely doesn't come easy when you’re a busy mum. But there ARE ways to catch up on your zzzz….

Mum sleeping with baby

Sanity saving advice for mums and mums-to-be. Tips for mums who need some shut-eye

1. Ask for help
By the time their baby is 18 months old, the average mum is still surviving on five hours sleep a night. And many are surviving on less. Don’t suffer in silence. Ask your partner, family or friends to look after your tot – even it’s for just a few hours – then dive back under the duvet.

2. Mimic your baby
You probably have a carefully constructed bedtime routine for your tot, so why not introduce one for yourself? ‘Prepare for bed by having a period of relaxation beforehand to help you wind down,’ says health and wellbeing consultant Liz Tucker. Switch off that TV, have a nice warm bath and prepare to snooze. 

3. Drink your milk
It’s not just babies who appreciate a bottle before bedtime.  Warm milk contains high levels of tryptophan – an amino acid that acts as a sedative.

4. De-clutter your head
‘Instead of lying there, worrying about everything you have to do the next day, write a list. You’ll feel more in control,’ says Liz.

5. Turn the lights down low
‘A dimly-lit room helps relax both you and your baby and makes it easier to drift off,’ says Liz.

6. Eat to sleep
Don’t chow down on a heavy meal before bedtime. An overworked digestive system will only leave you tossing and turning. Eat early and eat light.

7. Get moving
All those buggy walks do make a difference! Exercising for at least 30 minutes every day helps you fall asleep quicker. But limit exercise to at least four hours before bedtime as it encourages the production of ‘get-up-and-go’ adrenalin.

8. Cut the caffeine
Many exhausted mums rely on coffee and fizzy drinks for energy bursts to get them through the day. But it’s a doubled-edge sword. Caffeine is a stimulant and disrupts sleep, so try to limit your intake after 2pm.

9.  Balance the temperature
A bedroom that is too hot can cause restless sleep. Make sure yours is well ventilated. Equally, having cold feet can keep you awake, so don’t be too proud to wear bed socks in nippier climes.

10. Steady on
After baby’s in bed, who would deny a busy mum that lovely glass of chilled white wine that’s being calling her name? Not us! But alcohol quickens the heart rate, leads to dehydration and so interrupts restful sleep. Partake but don’t over-indulge!