Last month, I posted some tips to help you -- and me! -- get more restful sleep. I'm one of those people who needs at least 8 hours of sleep to function, but I really do better with 9. If I get less than 8 hours of sleep, I am worthless the next day. I know this, yet I used to stay up way too late.
I'm a night owl. I do my best work after the kids go to bed when the house is quiet. I've been like this since I was a teenager, and it's just how I am. However, the local authorities would frown upon my kids being late for school every day, so I have to get up a 7:30 a.m. each morning to get two of them off to school. This means that I have to #GoToBed no later than 10 p.m. to have time to relax to go to sleep. That is very, very difficult for me, and it takes careful planning because there are things that I used to purposely put off until the kids went to bed so I could spend more time with them.
Keep reading to see how I improved my sleep, what I still need to work on, a sleep spray recipe, and a giveaway!
Sleep Goals
Last month, I posted some sleep goals for myself:
- Keep my consistent sleep and wake times.
- Not take a nap after 1 p.m. and limit any naps to 30 minutes.
- Read a real book before bed instead of my Kindle. Also, no iPad or phone use in bed.
- Go to be at 9 p.m. so I can sleep by 10 p.m. for 8.5 hours of sleep a night.
I am happy to say that I was in bed by 9 p.m. almost every night! My bible study group tends to run late, so I did have to stay up a little later those nights. I did, however, plan for this and got my nightly chores done before I left. I even made it to bed early most weekend nights, which really helped boost my productivity on the weekends.
I resisted the urge to nap all month. I thought this would be really difficult, but it wasn't. When I hit that afternoon slump, I got up and cleaned or took a walk to boost my energy. Going to be earlier really helped reduce my need for naps anyway, so I didn't miss them after a few days.
I moved my "to read" books from my bookshelf to beside my bed so I had no excuses not to read a real book instead of a Kindle book. I forgot how much I love the smell of real books! I think reading on a real book with just my bedside lamp really helped me relax more than using an e-reader. My DIY sleep spray recipe also helped me relax before bed.
What You Need
- 4 ounce spray bottle
- 1 tablespoon isopropyl alcohol
- 20 drops lavender essential oil
- distilled water
Directions
- Add essential oil and isopropyl alcohol to the spray bottle.
- Fill with distilled water and shake.
- Spray on your bed or around the room before you go to bed. I like to spray about 20 minutes before I want to go to bed.
How easy is that? Just remember to only use distilled water and don't skip the alcohol because it stops creepy crawlies from growing in the spray.
Giveaway
One area that I know I need to improve on is my mattress. A comfortable mattress can make all the difference in getting a good night's sleep. Restonic is giving away a free mattress to one lucky reader!
Their ComfortCare® Select Mattresses will help you wake up refreshed and ready to tackle your day. Features include:
- Tempadvantage™ to regulate temperature so you won't alternate between throwing the covers off and waking up to find them again. It also reduces tossing and turning because you'll be more comfortable.
- Individually wrapped coils for better sleep for both partners. It reduces motion transfer from you to your spouse, and it distributes pressure equally across your body.
- Marvelous Middle™ protects against sagging, so your mattress lasts longer. It also offers more support where you need it.
- Superedge Plus™ is a high-density foam around the edge of the mattress, which reduces sagging and helps your mattress last longer.
Restonic Mom 2 Mom Challenge
Learn more about the importance of a great mattress for a great night's sleep by following Restonic on Twitter or Facebook. Get more sleep tips and join the conversation by following #GoToBed on social media.
