Why Cant I Sleep? New Mom Sleep Survival Guide, Part 2
Is sleep still on the bottom of your priority list? Wondering, ‘why cant I sleep?’ Start by establishing a calm, cool and dark sleep space to ensure you are getting the rest you need.
Things to help you sleep:
Create a calm sleep space.
Ensure that you have eliminated as many distractions from your bedroom as possible. Clutter can restrict your ability to focus and can also increase irritability. If you are distracted by clutter you may not be able to focus on sleeping. Look for ways to minimize the effort it takes to keep your bedroom clutter free.
- Hide it. Doing the bare minimum of closing the closet doors probably goes a lot further in reducing your stress level than your think.
- Diapers and Toiletries. Are diapers and wipes taking over your bedroom? Store them in one basket that is sized appropriately to keep an adequate supply close at hand.
- If there is laundry on the floor because you are too tired to walk it to the hall or bathroom, bring the basket to your bedroom instead.
Create a cool and quiet space
Trying to get some sleep in a poorly ventilated, hot, noisy room can be difficult. Focus on keeping your bedroom fresh, cool and quiet.
- Cooler temperatures are more conducive to sleep; however, the exact room temperature for sleeping varies from one individual to the next. As the warmer weather approaches you may find it necessary to incorporate a fan, switch to lighter bedding and sleepwear and open the windows to ensure your bedroom is cool enough for a good night’s rest.
- Environmental noises like neighbors, traffic, pets and birds can prevent you from falling asleep, and interrupt sleep once it’s established. Try using a fan, or baby sleeping music like a white noise machine to help block out these disturbances. If your baby is sleeping in your bedroom, make sure you use your sound machine safely.
A dark room
Much like electronics can disrupt your sleep, so can other artificial and natural light sources. The light coming through windows and from artificial sources like night-lights, street lights, mobile devices, alarm clocks and baby monitors can inhibit your body’s natural release of melatonin, the hormone that helps to regulate sleep.
- Eliminate artificial light. Take the time to do an artificial light source audit. Remove unnecessary electronics, dim them and/or cover them up.
- Re-evaluate your window treatments. Blinds and drapes are a good start but often only block out a portion of sunlight. Consider layering window treatments, having your existing drapes lined with light blocking material or reinstalled your drapery hardware at closer to the ceiling to block out the light sneaking in from the perimeter of the window.
- Use an eye mask. If you aren’t prepared to make changes to your window coverings, try using an eye mask as first step to determine if a darker bedroom makes a difference for you.
Quick Tips:
1. Create a calm sleep space
2. Your bedroom should be cool and quiet
3. Make sure your bedroom is as dark as possible
Continue reading with my Mom Survival Guide Part III
Kids can’t sleep? Check out:
– Planing on sleep training your child?
Rebecca is an infant and child sleep consultant and founder of The Sugar Plum Sleep Co. She is an only child (because she never slept as an infant), a mother of two young boys and an HGTV addict.
