It’s 10:30 pm and I’m exhausted from the day. My feet are tired, my eyelids heavy and I cannot stay awake another minute.
I head to bed, change into yoga pants and a t-shirt and wrap my hair into a stereotypical “mom bun.” As I stood at the bathroom sink, preparing to wash my face, I took a glance in the mirror.
For a second I see my mother. You can imagine the shock and horror. Naw…kidding mom. Kid-ding.
BUT my tired eyes did motivate me to take the wrinkle cream out of the cabinet and apply a few dabs around the eyes. A little wrinkle cream never hurt anybody.
I finally flopped into bed like 3,000 pounds of bricks. I curl up on my side and prepare to enter dreamland.
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But then…
My mind starts churning. I think about those dishes in the sink. I think about how I turned into an angry mom this afternoon over something really dumb, and I feel bad. I wonder if I truly connected with my kids in a meaningful way today.
I try to remember the positive affirmations for moms that I’ve left around the house to encourage myself, but all I can thing about is that rattling sound the car makes when I drive and I should probably get that checked out. I think about how much I have to do tomorrow.
I toss. And turn.
I can’t fall asleep. I mean, times a wastin’ right? The hours that I have left to sleep before the sun rises or one of my kids wakes up in the middle of the night are ticking by. I’m exhausted, and yet, my mind just keeps going.
I love using sleep hacks as a tired mom. They are insanely useful during a time when sleep always seems suboptimal.
Then lately, I tried a new trick. It can help you fall asleep faster and help your mind shift from your To-Do List to pure and utter relaxation.
My favorite sleep hack for tired moms
It’s called the 4-7-8 sleep technique from Dr. Andrew Weil. Some people claim you can fall asleep in under one minute if you use it correctly and practice over a period of weeks.
Under one minute? I thought this had to be a joke!
Here’s how you do 4-7-8.
Exhale completely. Then inhale for a count of 4. Then hold your breath for a count of 7. Then exhale for a count of 8. Repeat for 4 cycles.
Dr. Weil recommends that you do this breathing exercise at least twice per day every day. He claims that you might not notice a difference on the first try. Hence the practice.
Over a period of 4-6 weeks, you will start to notice a huge difference when using this technique to fall asleep faster. The technique effectively slows your heart rate and increases oxygen in your bloodstream.
You may even feel slightly lightheaded which contributes relaxed state of consciousness. Overall this technique will relax your heart, mind, and overall central nervous system.
So does it really work?
In a word, yes. I use this each night as I climb into bed with my yoga pants, t-shirt and mom bun. I don’t fall asleep in less than 1 minute. That seems like a bit of a stretch even for this skeptic turned convert. But I would say falling asleep in under 5 minutes is realistic, and under 10 minutes a surefire thing.
When I use the breathing technique to slow my heart rate down, my mind has absolutely no choice but to slow down too.
This is also the reason, I do deep breathing with my son before bedtime. We take deep breaths together every night. We don’t do the 4-7-8 technique, but we do deep breathing, and it’s become such part of our everyday routine that he usually starts up with just a cue from me.
I can’t tell you how many parents have tried this with their kids, and report HUGE success. (Just read the comments on this post for proof.) Great way to calm kids down before bedtime.
The 4-7-8 technique is also great for…
- When you’re really angry
- When you need to relax at the end of the day
- When someone cuts you off in traffic
- When you are about to yell at your strong willed child
- When your day is just going all wrong
- When you are feeling anxious
One last tip.
After peacefully sleeping away for a massive 3 hours, my daughter woke up in the middle of the night. I rolled out of bed, grabbed a quick drink of water, and walked pick up the baby from her crib.
Groggy and still half-asleep, I swayed with her in the darkness, humming Mary Had a Little Lamb. After a few minutes I started with a few deep breathes. She melted into my shoulder like it was a plush pillow-top mattress. I loved every minute of it, yet I desperately wanted to fall asleep myself.
I gently placed her back in her crib and walked back to bed.
And there it happened again.
My mind was wandering. I started thinking about my To-Do List and the schedule for the day, but I stopped myself. Four counts in. Seven counts hold. Eight counts out. Four counts in. Seven counts hold. Eight counts out….
Well taught Dr. Weil. Well taught.
Andrew Weil is a great resource for many things, isn’t he? This is not, nor has it ever been, my problem. My problem is I’m asleep within a minute (indicating I don’t get enough sleep). After 12 hours, I FORCE myself to get up. I’m still tired, but I have a life that needs me in it. I wonder how long I’d sleep if I just slept until I’m no longer tired?
Oh that’s really interesting. Wow…12 hours of sleep per night. Is there an underlying reason for your high sleep needs as an adult or just the way it’s always been?
And yes, I agree Dr. Weil is a great source for all things health and wellness.
too much sleep can be a cause of fatigue. you may be in a vicious cycle. you should try a week of 7 or 8 hour nights and see if you don’t start to feel more energised. or see your doctor because fatigue can also be a symptom of several chronic health issues.
Get your thyroid checked!
This may be due to oversleeping! Although you may feel too tired after waking up after 6-8 hours start your day and see how it goes versus sleeping the 12 hours.
I saw this idea one day and couldn’t remember the numbers but I’ve got it now, 4-7-8! 🙂 I will try it and I love the idea of introducing some breathing exercises to my toddler who has a hard time winding down at night. Sharing this on my FB page https://www.facebook.com/lovesimplybeauty?ref=hl
Thanks so much!
Great list of ways to wake up (and fall asleep). I regularly use the breathing exercise to help me fall asleep. However, I did notice a difference fairly quickly.
Excellent!
Love this!
What a great tip, and an awesome way to reset yourself-as well as fall asleep! My husband suffers from anxiety, and I feel this would be a great way for him to take a minute if he’s feeling overwhelmed. Thank you so very much for sharing <3
This is really helpful, I am pinning it now and I can’t wait to try it tonight. I have found breathing and mindfulness techniques to be the most effective ways to turn off and fall asleep after a long stressful day. My husband always teases me that he has never known anyone who can fall asleep as quickly as I do.
I’m so glad Rachael! I’d love to hear how it works out for you!
I don;t have any babies but I do have trouble falling asleep, I am going to try Dr. Weil ‘s technique. It sounds very helpful and I hope it will help me and others. Thank you for this hopeful post
I used to need 12 hours of sleep. It turns out I was low in iron and Vitamin D. My vitamin D didn’t raise until 10 years later when I started taking magnesium. I guess magnesium is needed to convert the D. Check Labdoor for independent Vitamin tests for safety.
Such a great tip. I’m always wiped out at the end of the day and can’t get to bed soon enough (which frustrates me, because evening are the only time my hubby and I have together) and to then lie awake not being able to drift of is infuriating. I will definitely be making this a part of my routine!