A Little Time for You

We all know that we are supposed to be getting 8 hours of sleep a night, however, I think whoever
came up with that number never had an infant. It can be incredibly difficult to get a decent amount of sleep when caring for a baby, never mind multiples or even a toddler or two. Exhaustion can set in quickly and suddenly you realize that you can not spend the day locked in the bathroom, hiding in the pantry, or catching a couple of ZZZs at that red light. Sometimes we just have to learn to deal with the extreme fatigue and for many of my clients I try to give them some tips on how to survive the day while anxiously awaiting baby to make it through the night.
 Eating well plays a major part in how your body handles the sleep deficiency.  Healthy eating habits will help prevent illness that often follows fatigue, and can help you feel at least somewhat energized for the day. Foods such as blueberries, mushrooms and green tea have antioxidants that will fight off those colds that the rest of the family is bringing home from school and work. This way you can still work your shift, which is of course 24 hrs. As we know you can not take a sick day or move your meetings around, for reasons of being sleepy, so try to avoid the drive thru and treat your body well.
 I have said many times that sunlight is super important for baby. It not only provides great vitamins for healthy growth, it also allows baby's biological clock to regulate and understand that day is for awake and dark is time for sleep. The sunlight is also essential for you throughout the day. It will increase your energy and give that little extra push you need to get out of your PJs. Even if the forecast calls for rain, artificial light can actually provide many of the same benefits. Your body will be faked into thinking you are outside, and a dreary and sleepy day can actually become an efficient day full of function.
  Taking a shower and actually putting on clothes also have to become a priority. The longer you linger in your slippers and cupcake pajama pants, the longer you will feel like climbing back into bed. Put baby in the jumperoo, the bouncy seat, or even his crib and take a 10 min shower. Refresh yourself, by yourself, for just a couple of minutes and you will really notice the difference for the rest of the day.
 The longest someone has even gone without sleep is 18 days, however, once a human has been awake for 17 hours their level of coherence is the same as someone with a blood alcohol level of 0.5. Your ability to make sound decisions, have patience and simply enjoy your children becomes so impaired at times that you just want to run away and hide, but the little things can make a difference. I know its hard to even think about YOU when everyone else is so in need, but it's important for your kids, as well as your other relationships, that you take a breath (and a shower) and take one day at a time. By incorporating these small things into your day, getting through the next one may seem a little less impossible.