If you've got your struggles getting to sleep and staying asleep throughout the night you're not alone. 1 in 3 Americans self-reported that a lack of sleep effects their daily functioning. Getting less than 7 hours per night of sleep has been found to be associated with developing diabetes, stroke, heart disease, depression, and anxiety. Here are five ways to help improve your sleeping habits.

1. Power Down.

          Let's face it, we are a nation that loves our technology. From social media to emails we are consistently plugged into our devices. Furthermore, bedtime seems to be the time that we snuggle under our covers and tune in until we fall asleep. What's wrong with that? Well...a few things. The lighting typically found on smart phones has been found to mimic the brightness of the sun in order to see the screen in various backgrounds. This brightness confuses your brain and causes it to stop producing melatonin, the hormone that tells your body that it's time to sleep. Try to stop electronic device use one hour before bedtime in order to optimize your melatonin secretion. It's your natural sleeping power!
     2. Save your bed for sleep.         
          Our body's easily become conditioned to things. One thing that can help promote restful sleep and help you get to sleep more quickly is using your bed only for sleeping. This allows your brain to switch into "sleep mode" when you lay down in your bed. Seems easy, but it works. 
    3. Be consistent.
       Like most things, consistency is key! Having a consistent time and place to start the winding down process and transitioning into "sleep mode" allows your body to predict what's coming next. You will find yourself becoming tired by engaging in the routine that you normally do. How do you use that consistency to create a relaxing routine? Keep reading!
    4. Get a relaxing bedtime routine.
       So you've got your consistent time and place for sleep, now what? Relax. Embed methods of relaxation within your routine in order to promote more melatonin release and a sense of calm. This looks different for each person. Some ways to relax might be to take a calming bath, use aromatherapy and essential oils such as lavender, or practicing some meditation or mindfulness exercises (check out our blog post on mindfulness tips and tricks!). Alternate until you find what works for you, then become consistent with it.
   5. Exercise regularly.
     Exercise has so many wonderful benefits. One benefit is the promotion of restful sleep. When you exercise it causes an increase in your body temperature, which naturally drops after the exercise has ended. This post-exercise drop in temperature could help promote falling asleep. Try exercising in the afternoon or later in order to see the most benefit to your sleeping patterns.

Our sleep habits effect our overall physical and mental health. Getting a better sleep every night is a great way to improve your health. Need support developing better sleeping habits and improving your mental wellness? We can help! Check out our services. 

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​Some days are harder than others. As a Mom to a 3 year old and 1 year old I absolutely get it. Between changing diapers, feeding children, and playing hide and seek the time can feel like a blur. It’s not uncommon for Moms to feel overworked and underpaid at times. 

What if I told you that you didn’t have to wait until naptime to get a calm minute? What if I said that you could find some mental peace before your partner comes home? That’s right, you can. It only takes a few minutes out of your day. You ready to hear this big secret?

Mindfulness.

That’s right, just mindfulness.

Mindfulness is the practice of being present within the moment. It allows you to focus on the here and now in order to blow off some frustration or refocus yourself and your energy. The best part about mindfulness is that with a little practice it can be done at any time. 

Mindfulness exercises can be with words or no speaking at all. It involves focusing on your breath and being aware of tension or conflict within your body and mind. Sounds easy enough, right?

One mindfulness exercise that works great for busy Moms (and busy people in general) is taking a SNAP break.  Stop, Notice, Accept, and Pay attention to your breath. This is a great exercise for bringing awareness to your current state and calming down. Stop and take a mental (and physical if possible) pause from what you’re doing. Notice your body. Is there tension in your shoulders? Hands? Jaw? Do a quick body scan and identify where your body is tense. Accept this tension for now. Give yourself grace to experience the feelings you’re having. Pay attention to your breathing. If your mind travels off to the current stressors at hand, gently redirect your attention back to your breath. You can repeat this as many times as necessary.

Difficult times will come and go. Breathe, Mom, you’ve got this!

​A New Year is here, but before you bring out the hats and whistles it’s time to sit down and think about what you want the new year to bring with it. It’s common for people to create New Year’s resolutions, but the reality is that they rarely work.
 
Research shows that fitness facilities sell the most memberships in January, but if you go to one of those facilities in February it’s obvious that everyone has already thrown in the towel. So what can you do to make your resolutions actually work for you?

1. Start with something small.

New Year’s resolutions are usually centered on some life-style change. Weight loss, fitness, clean eating, and budgeting are all frequently heard resolutions. While these are great resolutions to consider, also consider the difficulty with tackling such a large goal. Break your resolution into smaller pieces so that you can make mini-goals that align with your larger goal. Smaller pieces seem less daunting and allow you to track your progress more easily, which can help you to stay motivated.

    2.  Write it down.
Writing down your resolutions formalizes them. Putting pen to paper makes them real and also helps you to feel accountable to yourself for their completion. Spend some time considering what your large goal is, some action steps or mini-goals, and then write them down.

     3. Plan to fail.
Yes, you read that correctly. Identify that you will stumble along the way. This normalizes the minor set backs that are apart of the change process and makes you more likely to get up and give it another try. Ask yourself what you will down when you stumble. How will you pick yourself back up?
 
Use these three tips to create attainable resolutions that you won’t give up by February.