There’s a song that bounces round my head sometimes. “I can’t get no sleep.”
I’d tell you which song exactly, but I’m too tired to think straight.
Recently, I’ve struggled to get enough sleep. Not to fall asleep, you understand. I can fall asleep standing up in a rainstorm.
My challenge is waking up too early. When I’m stressed, it’s not unusual for me to lie awake at 4am or 5am, my mind turning over this option or that, worrying about projects and people. Does that ever happen to you?
I live opposite a load of trees, so once I’m awake, the dawn chorus will keep me that way more often than not. Those little birds are a lot less charming at that time of the morning.
Of course, life has a sense of humour. So these stressed periods tend to be when I’m working like crazy, which means late nights. The combination of a late night with a 5am wake-up? Well, it’s not pretty.
It’s ridiculous. I don’t have a toddler keeping me awake. And I’m far from an insomniac – I haven’t ever struggled to fall asleep at night, thank goodness. And even on my worst night, I’m sleeping for six hours or more.
Being tired means I struggle to get up and on the school run in good time. And while I rally after a cup of coffee, by 4pm, I’m ready to just lie down on the floor and welcome sweet, sweet oblivion.
It’s not just me who suffers. A tired Sally is a cranky Sally, as my family and co-workers will confirm.
So what do you do?
Tempur has asked me to share a post with my sleep tips – and a few from their own experts. Given Tempur makes some pretty awesome mattresses, I think they know a thing or two about good sleep.
There are some things I’ve found over the past few months, that help.
NEOM sleep mist is fantastic. It’s a blend of 11 different essential oils that promotes relaxation and sleep. I also always sleep with the window slightly ajar – I’m a big believer in fresh air, and I hate being too hot and stuffy at night.
I’ve invested in summer weight duvets for the same reason, as I think it helps keep you at a comfortable temperature when it’s hot. I do swear by memory foam pillows, as they offer really good support and don’t get hot and stuffy.
I also try really hard not to worry about it. I think a lot of people are quick to panic when they don’t sleep for a few nights, and it only makes things harder. I try to tell myself that this stressful week will pass, that my body will (eventually) get what it needs. Bad sleep happens, sometimes.
If you want to be more proactive, Tempur has put together some sleep tips which might be useful if you’re a fellow sleepless night sufferer – check out their website for more details, or the video below.
I love sleep. More than anything,
Amen, sister.
Sleep is for the weak! After many years of sleepless nights thanks to having too many kids, I now find that, like you, I fall asleep instantly but wake up in the early hours and find it difficult to go back to sleep. The hubby’s snoring doesn’t help, neither does that of my grown up son which I believe can be heard three streets away. Then of course there are the birds. Then the neighbours kids (I’m pretty sure that when mine were little I would be up and seeing to them within an hour!) Then my kids start waking from around 6am and even though I’ve probably been awake a couple of hours by then I don’t want to get out of bed.
My only tip is ear plugs!
I swore by ear plugs when I was married!
I wake up about 5.30 each day and I love that bit of time when no one else is awake but by 9pm I am ready for bed and If i stay up much later I am a grump too.
My only tips is get to bed as early as you can if you rise early!
I’m definitely not naturally an early riser by nature, it’s stress! And hopefully short lived x
I totally get what you mean. What has worked for me has been the old-fashioned warm milk and soft music. I can’t sleep when it’s dead quiet. There are some great channels on youtube that take me to slumberland in minutes.