No One Said Self-Care Was Easy!
Every year, I usually make the same resolutions… change my exercise routine, eat better (because I’m not perfect and fall of the keto wagon around the holidays), more self care activities, and take steps to be more productive (last year I bought a planner and now I’m addicted!). Simple & basic; but also doable.
This year I decided to be real with myself. HA!… not as easy as I thought. So I gave myself some time to think about it. That’s one reason that I’m posting about this so late. The other reason was that I didn’t want to commit. I’m basically dragging myself kicking & screaming into 2019.
Why the stong reaction you ask? Because like a toddler, I need to be sleep trained. No, really.. I’m serious. I know a lot of people make resolutions about getting more sleep, but for me, it isn’t that simple. Part of me wants to believe that I will never be able to fix the beast that is sleep deprivation. So I stay up too late telling myself there’s no use in getting in bed early because it’s not gonna work.
Some of you are probably saying, “oh, it must be because you’re a mom”. Yes, I have been doing this new mom thing over & over for 24 years. However, even when all my kids have reached the sleeping through the night and able to pee or slay their imaginary dragon on their own phase, there I was laying in bed trying to get comfortable enough to go back to sleep for the hundredth time.
Why Sleep Should be a Self Care Goal
I recently read an eye-opening article in The New Yorker called Why We Sleep, and Why We Often Can’t. It talked about our contemporary attitude toward sleep and that we are often pleased with our ability to “make it work” though our foggy thinking & fatigue; as if it’s a badge of honor. And so, our society just doesn’t value the need for rest. Believe me, I value my rest and definitely don’t have a sleep deprivation badge on my girl scout vest. Though after reading about Arianna Huffington’s dedicated nightly sleep ritual, I was left thinking about how I should be more intentional about making sleep part of my self-care routine. In doing so, I might just be able to train myself to sleep better by incorporating specific goals that nurture & respect my body’s need for restorative rest.
I’ve always come to rely on some type of natural sleep aid as part of my half-assed (sorry if that offends anyone, but I’m going to call it what it is.) sleep routine. Over time, I’ve discovered some really effective ones, which I will tell you about in my next post. My routine basically consists of me dragging myself off the couch – because I’m already physically tired, brush teeth, sleep aid, pee, chap-stick, earplugs, quietly getting in to bed trying not to wake my husband, then laying there fidgeting and trying to find the perfect combination of arm, feet & head positions. Ugh! So, I give you my new self-care:
Sleep Routine Goals
- No phone or connected devices after 9 pm
- No physical chores
- Relax with husband & watch a short show that has a clear end time
- Take sleep aid & meds 30 min before bed
- Read for 20 minutes to wind down or have sex (will post about pros to scheduling this!)
- Hygiene routine
- Go to bed at the same time as or before my husband (so I stop worrying about waking him)
And there you have. I know that I will still have trouble sleeping in the beginning, but I’m hoping that my body will realize the new routine and get with the program. I also came up with a reward because every goal needs one if you want to stay motivated. So if I can follow my new self-care routine for 2 months straight I will reward myself with a trip to the hot springs for a day of relaxation.
Now that I told you about my belated new year’s self-care goals, I’d love to hear your comments about how your resolutions are going so far?
16 Comments
missmisanthrop
Sleep is so important. I desperately need to put a better schedule in place and these are great tips.
Sonja Hoff
Sleep is so so important! I have made so many other positive changes in my life since I got my sleeping pattern back on track! Rest is a must!
tcleland88
The right amount of sleep is so important. I’ve been using a Fitbit to track my sleep and was astonished to find that I rarely get more than 6-6 1/2 hours a sleep each night. No wonder I’m tired all the time!
Beth
I’m laying here reading this blog post after my kid’s gone to sleep…knowing I’m going to need to be up in 6 hours. Starting tomorrow…earlier bedtime!
Ashley
I REALLY need to set this goal too. It’s just so hard when I feel like that’s my only time to get stuff done without my little guy at my side. How do you deal with that?
Sonja - Too Much Character
Same. I should be doing this but… the time after the kids go to bed is my me time. I tried waking up early this morning to get in my me time at the start of the day, only to have my three year old join me. Good luck to you, mama!
Kim
Yes. Self care is hard, I am trying to implement more of it as well!
Kelly
Self Care is a must and makes a difference in the quality of your life. Having a daily routine that works for you is awesome!! Love this post.
Lydia
Sleep is so important and so hard to get. I had to really start being serious about putting my son to bed early, no matter what. My day really can’t end until his does. I was trying to get too much done before his bedtime. You just have to stop, put him to sleep and put yourself to sleep too.
Julia from Balancing Bravely
I love this. I totally agree and also love what Arianna Huffington has to say about sleep, although I just can’t seem to get off my phone after 9pm.
Patricia-Ann Que
as they say no pain no gain! but then when you reach the goal, it is much sweeter!
Jenna
Yes! Thank you for the reminder. Sleeping better is something that would greatly improve my life. No more angry sleepy mommy. 👍🏻
POOVANESH PATHER
Sometimes finding time for self-care is as hard as running a marathon. I love the simplicity of your self-care routine.
Madi Rowan
Self-care is so important! I would like to incorporate either a time for meditation or a quiet time to read before bed. I think that would really be a great addition to my self-care routine!
-Madi xo | http://www.everydaywithmadirae.com
Nadia W
It’s nice to know someone else out here has the same sleep struggles as me! I’m definitely going to try some of these tips!
Arianne P.
Love this. It really isn’t easy to self care sometimes but it is so rewarding when you finally are able to