7 Ways to Give yourself a Sleep Makeover

Do you ever feel like sleep deprivation has become your norm?

So many moms struggle with constant exhaustion because they simply don’t get enough sleep. As a mom of 6, including twins, I’m right there with you.

REM-fit knows all about what it takes to get a great night’s sleep. They sent me some tools to help me revamp my nightly routines and I’ve loved giving myself a sleep makeover.

I can’t remember what it feels like to not be tired. Can you relate?

It may be time to give yourself a sleep makeover. We have some great ideas to help you out, but first, how do you know if you need more sleep.

Do you have kids?

Then the answer is probably “yes”.

Between my twins refusing to go to bed at night and my 3 year old climbing into bed with me several nights a week, I know I’m not getting enough sleep.

It’s a good thing they are cute.

There may be other signs that are aren’t getting enough sleep though. Watch for:

• Constant hunger
• Cravings for sweets
• Brain fog
• Extreme emotions
• Forgetfulness
• Trouble concentrating
• Clumsiness

Rem-Fit has some great explanations about why these things point towards sleep deprivation here.

I used to think sleep deprivation was just a way of life but I’ve learned some great tricks to help me sleep more and maximize the sleep I do get.

Track your sleep

It’s hard to improve your sleep if you don’t really know where you are starting at. This could be as simple as tracking the hours you sleep on a piece of paper or there are some great tech toys that can really track your sleep patterns, right down to your heart rate and the number of times you roll over in bed. REM-fit sent me their sleep monitor to check out. I’ve been playing with it and I’m amazed at the amount of data it can collect!

My husband has been trying to get me to use wearable sleep monitors for years but I’ve pushed back because I don’t want to deal with wearing anything while I sleep. I’ve been LOVING the REM-fit sleep monitor though because all you have to do is lay a strap beneath your sheet and it tracks everything from there.

I thought I would be able to feel it but the strap is really unobtrusive. I just set it up and went to sleep as normal. It has a little magnetic cap that holds it in place on your sheet.

I was really curious to see the results because I feel like I wake up constantly at night. The sleep monitor told me everything from what my heart rate and breaths per minute were throughout the night right down to how many times I rolled over in my sleep.

It was crazy seeing that all recorded and I think over time it will give me a really good idea of what I need to improve in my sleep routines.

Give yourself a bedtime

You give your kids a bedtime so why not give yourself one. I know for me, I often stay up too late simply because I’m too tired to get ready for bed. If you have a firm bedtime in mind, you can plan ahead, and know when it’s time to wind down and get ready for bed.

Start small. Plan on going to sleep just 15 minutes earlier than you usually do to help your body adjust until you slowly move your bedtime back far enough that you are getting the sleep you need.

Turn off the electronics

I know I’m not alone in turning to the electronics as soon as my kids are in bed. My nightly routine involves crashing in front of the TV until I’m too tired to keep my eyes open. It’s the only downtime I get and after spending my time caring for 6 kids and working from home during the day, I need that time to relax.

But . . . electronics are stimulating. We’ve heard all about the light from electronics messing with our sleep patterns. Our bodies have a much easier time falling asleep if we aren’t glued to a screen before bed.

Shut off your electronics at least 30 minutes before going to bed and find another way to decompress. Read a book. Take a bubble bath. Sit and talk with your spouse. You’ll notice a difference in the quality of sleep you get.

Upgrade your Mattress

I was once told that the best money you can spend in your bedroom is to invest in a great mattress. You spend such a huge portion of your day sleeping (in a perfect world at least, right?) that a great mattress can do more for your quality of life than just about anything else.

I took that to heart and ten years ago we bought an awesome mattress and settled for hand-me-down furniture.

The problem with that is ten years later I was still sleeping on the same mattress and it had all kinds of pressure points and lumps that were affecting the quality of sleep I got.

I was waking up aching every morning. So much for a good night’s sleep.

REM-fit sent me their REM–Fit SLEEP 300 series mattress (you can check it out here). The mattress showed up in the mail. It was crazy how a king sized mattress fit in this tiny box.

I had never slept on a foam mattress before so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but after the first night sleeping on it I was sold. I woke up with no pain in my back. I could definitely feel the difference not having any pressure points the way you do on a regular spring-based mattress.

The feel of the foam REM-fit mattress does take a bit of getting used to. It’s super comfortable but it’s a strange feeling not being able to feel the other person roll over in bed. My kids were amused that you couldn’t really jump on the bed because it’s not bouncy . . . but they sure tried anyway.

I didn’t realize how much my husband and I were keeping each other up at night until we took that out of the equation.

The REM–Fit SLEEP 300 series mattress has several layers to help you get the best night of sleep ever.

First, there’s the 6.5 inches of unique Support foam. That’s topped with 2 inches of Cradle foam and an additional 1.5 inches of Adaptive Foam.

The mattress also has REM-fit’s exclusive natural Re-Ax Unleashed fiber with Hi-Flow Knit to keep you cool. That was huge for me. I’ve always heard how hot foam mattresses are but the REM-fit mattress does a great job of keeping you cool.

Declutter your Room

Have you noticed how hard it is to relax in a cluttered room. Clear the clutter out and make your bedroom as relaxing as it can be. I like to keep my bedroom down to the bare minimum. If you can avoid it, don’t have a TV in your bedroom. Keep out any work related items and be sure that your bedroom doesn’t become a dumping ground for any unclaimed laundry or paper clutter.

Keep a Notebook Next to your Bed

Do you lie in bed running through a mental to-do list? I know for me, climbing into bed at night is usually the only time of day when I slow down. Apparently that’s the perfect time to start worrying about things I need to do the next day, something I’ve forgotten, and a whole host of other things.

Keep a notebook next to your bed so you can quickly jot down these thoughts, give them some space, and then let them go so you can get some sleep.

Play White Noise

White noise can do wonders for helping you fall asleep faster and stay asleep. I use a simple app on my phone but you can also find white noise tracks on Youtube for free.

I have noticed a definite difference in my sleep quality when I start the night with some white noise and it is so helpful on those nights when I can’t get my brain to turn off.

Do you need a sleep makeover? Pick 1-2 things to start with and add other things in as you go.

Disclosure: REM-fit provided me products for review. As always, all thoughts are my own.