Sleep. If you hang around parents of young children, I guarantee a topic that will come up at some point in conversation is sleep.
How much sleep does your baby get in one stretch? How long are your baby’s naps? Does your baby have a sleep schedule?
But what about YOUR sleep? How much sleep are YOU getting in one stretch? And when you sleep, what’s the quality of your sleep?
5 Ways to Work Hard, Sleep Harder
It’s no doubt that you are working hard! Evenings can be hard with diaper duty, feedings, late-night wakings, and bedtime stories. Mattress Firm gently reminds you to take a deep breath, pause and allow yourself to sleep harder.
1. Say YES to help!
No matter if you are a new mom or a mom who hasn’t had a GOOD night sleep in a while, don’t be afraid to ASK for help! Mama, it doesn’t make you any less of a superhero to admit you need a little bit of help every now and then. It’s NORMAL. And quite honestly, it will save your sanity. Consider getting a night-time postpartum doula or a nanny. If it’s not in your budget, then ask your significant other or parents if this could be an early birthday gift or a push present. Postpartum doulas can help out for one day… or she may turn into your knight-and-shining-armor with an extended stay.
Saying yes to help doesn’t even have to be a professional. Be real with your close family about your needs. Ask your mom or mother-in law to take turns helping while you get the rest you need.
2. Write down what’s on your mind!
Do you have a never-ending list running through your head? WRITE. IT. DOWN. Even if it’s the simplest of things. Write it down. Your mind can rest at ease once you’ve emptied it of the million-and-one things you don’t want to forget to do.
3. Separate blankets and sheets!
Have you ever considered getting twin flat sheets and separate blankets for your bed? This alone might save your marriage sanity. This simple purchase could buy you extra hours of sleep because you weren’t woken up by you-know-who.
4. Lights and sounds!
Raise your hand if you like white noise or a fan while you sleep. (Insert raising hand emoji.) I’ve had a fan by my bed as long as I can remember. White noise is my life-saver. Also, if you like a dark room, get a soft comfy eye mask to get some zzzzz’s. I love mine!
5. Evaluate your Mattress
How much priority do you put in your mattress? When you stop and think about it, your mattress is the one piece of furniture you that you will spend the most of your time on. For this very reason, we’ve teamed up with the Mattress Firm experts to help you find the perfect bed for you at an unbeatable price. You you might even want to consider adding an adjustable base to support your mattress (like the type you may have used in the labor and delivery or postpartum hospital room). At the touch of a button you can transform your bed into an easier angle to nurse your baby, or give you the feeling of being cradled in your sleep.
For more on how moms can get their best sleep, follow @MattressFirm and #WorkHardSleepHarder.
You can find your closest Mattress Firm store here.
Mattress Firm recently took a poll to see how much sleep new parents were getting a night and discovered some eye-opening sleep facts. We were a little amused by the first fact… aren’t you?!
Must Know New Parent Sleep Facts
– Did you know – One in four parents would eat only baby food for an entire year if it meant their newborn’s sleep schedule would match theirs for the first year of infancy.
– A survey of 2,000 parents, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Mattress Firm, found that the average parent loses a third of their nightly sleep after having a baby, decreasing from an average of six hours per night to just four hours.
– Research shows that nearly half (48%) of all new parent’s say that a loss of sleep is their number one challenge.
– The new study, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Mattress Firm, also revealed that in the first year of being a parent, 33% of survey respondents said they fell asleep at work, and another one in five (22%) were so tired they fell asleep while standing up.
– New parents also report that they hear some variation of “you look tired” 144 times a year.
– It turns out sleep is even hard to come by for babies. The average parent spends 74 minutes every day trying to get their baby to fall asleep, or 19 full days in the first year of infancy.
– It seems men get the lucky break when it comes to sleep as a new parent, as 67 percent of female respondents said their partner got more sleep in their first year as parents.
– Parents were asked at what point they felt they had mastered being a parent and responded:
– 41% stated when they were finally able to get their baby to sleep through the night.
– 27% said when they learned to function without sleep.
You’ve got this, mama. #WorkHardSleepHarder
