10 Better Sleep Tips for Parents and Families

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[This post is part of my Bite-sized Steps to a Healthier, Happier Family Series. Resources, Recipes and Revelations. One bite at a time. Get this weekly e-bite series delivered to your inbox HERE.]

CONFESSION: I have not been valuing sleep.

dsc007761I value sleep for my children. I focus on getting them naps. I help them stay regulated so they can sleep relatively well.

I, on the other hand, have been staying up way late, despite the early wake ups of my almost 18 mo. I have not been napping with him because I already get little time during that nap with two hands if I want to spend some of that with my 3.5 yo. I have a rhythm for the week mapped out that I am working towards, and I keep getting off it.

I do value sleep. Greatly. I love sleeping. I love dreaming. I want to sleep.

I vow I will be sleeping better, more in the coming week, using some of these tips.

10 Tips for Getting Better Sleep for Your Whole Family

  1. Turn off electronic devices 2 hours before bedtime. (A hard one for parents!)
  2. Get in bed by 10 pm.
  3. Keep the lights off.
  4. Eat protein a few hours before bed.
  5. Avoid caffeine and sugar.
  6. Get outside during the day.
  7. Stretch gently and slowly before bed.
  8. Focus on breathing, slowly and gently.
  9. Maintain a small sleep window.
  10. Value sleep.

…Move #10 up to #1.

Valuing sleep is absolutely the first step. Some folks believe sleep is a waste of time and strive to do as little as possible. Some parents lament that they have children like that.

These tips can help you regulate yourself and your family without over the counter pharmaceuticals.

In addition, you can look into nutrients such as magnesium and herbs such as chamomile to help your body get back to centered and balanced. While there are breathing strips for noses and sleep labs for studies, meeting some of the basics human needs around sleep can go a long way to helping your whole family benefit from good sleep. Nutrition, exposure to electromagnetics and stress levels have a huge impact on our sleep. While we have little control over when our baby will wake to nurse in the night, we do have a big influence in those areas.

So, Family: How much sleep are you getting? How is that working for you? If you could choose one of these tips to focus on for a week, which would you choose?

Learn way more about water, and a whole lot of other topics for families living towards vibrance and vitality, in my Healthier, Happier Family Series…

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Resources:

On Sleep

On Children, Parenting Choices and Sleep Solutions

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