goodnight moon. good morning moon.
Every night (around the same time) Before I lay my little babe down to sleep, I turn on some lullaby music, he sips on some milk, I recite "Goodnight Moon", we say a prayer together, he gets cozy in his dark/cool room and is off to bed. There are some lessons to be learned from that little stinker and his sleep habits.
I have been getting up before the sun at 5 am to exercise for (what feels like) a long time. Probably 6-7 years now. It started out with me attending people's early morning classes as my solution to knock out my workout before the stress of the day so that I could relax and unwind in the afternoon. It became a habit and it worked for me and so I started teaching YMCA classes, running with friends and working out at home in the wee hours of the morning. I have never been GREAT about going to bed early and so anywhere between 5-7 hours is pretty normal for me. Once my son was born, my sleep window was compressed even more or altered with midnight and 4 am nursing "sessions". However, because those early morning workouts are such a long standing habit of mine, they have never really fallen off. I have taken breaks from them and shifted to the evening on occasion, but I always come running back to the early morning sessions.
Because I teach early in the morning, I have (for years) received messages from clients/friends/class participants that I work out with... "My sleep was horrible last night, I can't make it". When I was younger, with very little worry or responsibility, it used to really bother me and I hated feeling stood up. I still don't love the feeling, but I am here to tell you, I get it. I continue to be surrounded by clients/friends/family members who talk all of the time about how horrible their sleep is. A day following a bad nights sleep, or no sleep... is terrible. And if you're my husband who operates on 3-4 hours a night every night for a week or two in a row... you're basically a walking zombie who is also ready to attack at any moment.
Brett and I joke that we are like robots and have just learned how to live off of little sleep... but I am also here to tell you my friend... After being on maternity leave for a little while, yeah I woke up to nurse my kiddo, but most nights I would get between 7-9 hours of sleep and it was glorious. So ... why wouldn't you want that????
As a society, we are a hyper hyper hyper stressed and busy people. We cram too much in a day and we neglect so many forms of self care. Sleep being a major one. We are eating unhealthy food that upsets our gastrointestinal system/hormones, not drinking enough water, not moving our bodies enough, reading very stressful and disturbing news late at night, always "connected" and responding to work/personal emails on-demand, and constantly in front of blue screens.
Here is why I love and will never give up my early morning workouts.... Because they actually get done. My workouts are often stronger/faster in the evenings... However, if I waited every day to work out at the end of the day, it just wouldn't happen. My life is predictable until about 6pm and then the true chaos begins. Now that I have a little one... I'd have to wait until 8:30pm to work out after he goes to sleep and at that point, you can forget me ever getting to sleep. That is what works for me... But, you work out when you will get it done.
Take a look at that sleeping beauty! My husband loves to take pictures of me sleeping because apparently, I get creative.
Hear me out… I am Netflix binger just like the next person… But my workouts are a big priority for me. Getting up at 5 AM may sound crazy but if you have good sleep habits and get to bed at a reasonable time anybody can make it happen. Whether you are trying to get up early to work out or just needing a better nights sleep here are some tips for you...
Try to avoid a heavy meal before bed that would cause discomfort or gastrointestinal distress... specifically breads and/or dairy.
Drink 8 oz of water between 30-60 minutes before bed and go to the bathroom before getting in bed!
Get in bed consistently around the same time allowing for 6-8 hours of sleep. I strive to physically be in bed at 10 pm and asleep around 10:30.
Keep your room cool. National Sleep Foundation suggests between 60-67 degrees!! We don't go that chilly... but I am a hot sleeper but I like to snuggle under blankets... So, I would agree that a cool room is best!
An hour before bed, don't read the news or something that will make your mind spin late at night. If you are scrolling through Facebook, you never know what you'll stumble upon. Your intentions may just be to look at your friends baby photos and Instagram food photos, but odds are... you'll come across bombings in Syria or pitbulls attacking children. So, just don't.
An hour before bed, stop checking emails. Reading work emails before bed is a terrible idea. I can often make you more stressed about what you have not finished or what you have in the day to come. Just stop. Your need time to yourself to detach and decompress and um... sleep? People do not need to have 24/7 access to you.
I actually put my phone in the bathroom that is attached to my bedroom. What this does for me is that it requires me to get up and out of bed in the morning so that I cannot press snooze quite as easily. It also disables me from scrolling through my phone as I'm falling asleep.
Do not go to sleep with the TV going. That is a terrible nights sleep. If you need some white noise turn on a box fan
Some people like to write things down on a notepad if their mind is racing. Because I have an unfinished book in my head, I often do just this and feel that it's helpful to get things on paper that you may forget before you have the opportunity to write them down the next day.
I have also found that it is helpful for me not to have a clock where I can see it... if you have trouble falling asleep and you lay in bed watching the time pass by... its frustrating and just adds fuel to the problem.
In the words of my husband "just close your eyes put your head on a pillow and think about nothing" That is so not easy for me to do but he's usually right.
If you are having serious trouble with sleep issues like insomnia or sleep apnea that are decreasing your quality of life, you may want to consider scheduling an appointment with a board certified physician like my dear friend, pulmonologist and sleep doctor, Dr. Javaid with Lung & Sleep Wellness Center.
Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep...
-IV