Prioritize Your Sleep Health Now

I am a wife and working mom of two active boys so I promise you that I understand the difficulties of getting in enough sleep. I know all the excuses - “I’ll never get everything done if I go to bed earlier,” or “I just need a few hours to myself and I can only get them late at night.” I get it. I understand.

But…..you still need to be getting enough sleep and it needs to become a priority.

Sleep is the body’s natural and most effective means of recovery, essential for physical, mental, and emotional restoration. While other things, like exercise, nutrition, and hydration, contribute to overall health, sleep is the ONLY time when the body can fully rebuild, repair, and rejuvenate in a way that no other activity can replicate.

Physical Recovery

When you sleep, your body shifts into repair mode. During deep sleep stages, growth hormone levels surge, helping to repair tissues, muscles, and bones. This is why sleep is critical for muscle recovery after exercise or physical exertion. Additionally, the body clears out cellular waste products and toxins that accumulate during the day. Sleep also supports immune function, allowing your body to better fend off illness.

Mental and Cognitive Recovery

Sleep is equally important for brain health. During sleep, the brain consolidates memories and processes information from the day. This includes strengthening neural connections, which is key for learning and memory. Sleep also clears out byproducts like beta-amyloid, a protein associated with Alzheimer's disease. This process helps the brain function at its peak and supports cognitive clarity and sharpness.

Emotional and Psychological Recovery

Sleep helps regulate the stress hormone cortisol. When you don’t get enough sleep, cortisol levels rise, which can lead to heightened stress, irritability, and anxiety. Adequate sleep, on the other hand, helps maintain emotional balance, improves mood, and allows you to better handle daily challenges. It's also during sleep that the brain processes emotions, which is why sleep deprivation can lead to emotional instability and poor decision-making.

In essence, sleep is the foundation of recovery, the one process that enables the body to rejuvenate fully, ensuring you're physically strong, mentally sharp, and emotionally balanced. Without sufficient, quality sleep, all other recovery efforts are far less effective.

So, how do we make sleep a priority? I’m not going to dive into the basics of sleep hygiene because we all know what we should be doing. We know we shouldn’t be on our phones in bed, and we know we should start winding down an hour before sleep. For most of us, the real challenge is finding the time. So let’s focus on that.

Ask For Help

If you're only getting 4 hours of sleep because you're staying up until 2 a.m. folding laundry, it’s time to ask for help. Whether it's from your partner, a parent, a sitter, or even your kids, don’t try to do it all alone. When my children hit around 8 years old, I started having them fold their own laundry. I’d just leave the basket in their room, and it became their responsibility. It’s made a huge difference.

Identify Your Time Wasters

Do you find yourself getting lost in endless scrolling on your phone? Are constant distractions throughout the day causing you to fall behind? Or maybe you're a perfectionist, spending too much time perfecting one task? Consider what changes you could make to your daily routine to free up time, so you're not stuck catching up on work or household chores late into the night.

Evaluate Your Kid’s Sleep Routine

Has your child’s bedtime routine somehow stretched into a 90-minute ordeal? Is your little one coming into your room multiple times throughout the night? I understand these are tough and sensitive issues. Every family has their own approach, and what works will vary depending on your child’s age and needs. But I encourage you to take a close look at these patterns and work with your family or pediatrician to help establish healthy sleep habits for everyone. It’s hard to be your best as a parent when you're constantly being woken up or feeling frustrated because bedtime has turned into a battle.

Start Small

If you're only getting 4 hours of sleep a night, aiming for 8 hours right away might feel overwhelming. Start with small steps—add just one extra hour to your sleep schedule. Once that becomes a regular habit, try adding another hour, or even just 30-minute increments over time.