This post may contain affiliate links. This means, if you make a purchase from a link on this page, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can find our entire disclaimer here.
Sleep? What is Sleep? I wish I could just get some sleep.
The truth is past motherhood, age 25 and home life responsibilities
I will only say this once, but motherhood/adulthood sleep makes me miss the pubescent Saturdays of sleeping until 12 and giving zero eff’s about what you could/would/should be doing with your weekend.
Click Here to Join the Mothering the Storm Facebook Group! An Encouragement Group For Parents who have ADHD and are also caring for an ADHD Child!
Recently a conversation with a friend gave me a suggestion on how to get some sleep. That one suggestion spiraled into a little extra research from me (typical Lacy).
Considering ADHDer’s everywhere are struggling to get some shut-eye
here are my favorite tricks to help lull you to sleep.
Get Some Sleep By:
1. Stop looking at your phone right before bed.
We all do it. I know we do it. But it must end. Not only is the lighting on the phone hindering your ability to get to REM sleep stage, but studies have also shown that lack of restful sleep can lead to a whole slew of other harmful stuff. Heart disease, thyroid problems, and type 2 diabetes just to name a few.
Can you imagine what this one habit does to us every night? I don’t want to find out. Set your phone off to the side and lay in bed without the screen for 15 minutes before trying to fall asleep.
2. Take a shower or bath before bed.
Bath time can be so relaxing after a long day. But even if you can’t take a bath, you can always make a nice warm or hot shower. The warmth will work to relax your muscles and help to de-stress. Not to mention, crawling into bed with clean skins feels good.
3. Keep your room temperature a little lower than usual, or sleep in a basement.
Studies have shown that temperature dramatically influences our ability to stay asleep. The ideal environment is one in which you need blankets and clothing because of a cooler than average but not freezing room temperature. So, turn down the thermostat a bit, climb under your covers and get some sleep.
4. Make the room as dark as possible, or snag a blindfold.
It’s not a new idea that making sure your room dark being indicative of best sleep practice. But in this article on sleep in Readers Digest they discuss a recent sleep study that gives proof that sleeping in light can affect your glucose levels. Glucose and insulin levels are imperative to the way our body burns energy. Not to mention their imbalance can lead to type two diabetes.
So, close the blinds, shut off the TV, and make it dark. Get a blindfold if you have to. But keep out the light.
5. Keep your sheets clean weekly.
Remember when I said taking a hot shower could help. So can clean sheets and comforters. I know many people have done away with a top sheet lately, but it has a purpose. You sweat when you sleep. Your skin sheds skin particles that attract dust mites. Even if you don’t have allergies, bacteria can thrive inside a comforter or
6. Read! A Regular Book!
In a study that has been cited many times by the University of Sussex, reading before bed has the most significant impact on decreasing stress levels. Something as short as reading for only 6 minutes can relax you and help you get some sleep easier. Bear in mind though, reading from a tablet or phone may have the opposite effect of helping you to drift off due to the blue light.
7. Do the thing that is on your mind before you rest.
I once read about a superstition to always do the dishes before bed because not doing them is cause for insomnia. Something like that. Regardless of your beliefs my point is, it doesn’t hurt to get the things done that are weighing on your mind. Ideally, they leave it once it’s done.
If you feel like you should’ve done just one more load of laundry, go throw a load in before bed. If you wish you’d have put that bag in your car, you have to take with you tomorrow, get up and go put it in your car. When we lay down, we are no longer moving, and our minds tend to wander for us. If it wanders to something within your immediate control that will take less than five minutes to get done, just go do it. You might rest more comfortable knowing its complete.
8. Try White Noise.
White noise works for some people. It’s less distracting as it is just a distraction from your own thoughts. And it works well for some, others need complete silence. But if your sleep is lacking it’s worth a shot.
9. Try ADHD Lullaby, Track 15.
I’ve mentioned ADHD Lullaby in my other posts. The Musician behind the album and I spoke, and while he said that it is made specifically for children, some adults have found ways for it to work for them. Like using track 15 on repeat to help them. I’ve tried this, and it does seem to help me stay relaxed until I drift off. (You can grab the discount code for the album in my resource library!)
Don’t forget to Pin this for later! You know, so you can read it with extra guilt while you lay in bed trying to sleep.
