Sleep deprived? Take it like a mommy!

Being a mother may have its perks. But more often than not, you are left feeling like a zombie, courtesy lack of sleep. Mala Ashok offers handy tips to manage the mommy sleep deprivation syndrome.

Sleep deprivation is, perhaps, the biggest ailment that ails our younger generation. If you are sleep deprived because you have been partying too much, maybe, you could be faulted.

But if you are the mother of an active three-year old and a cranky one-year old, one could hardly point fingers at you. It is in this age group that kids tend to keep you awake all night, the reasons being myriad and not something you can always prevent.

So, the issue before you is, “How do I handle sleep deprivation?” Yes, surviving the day after the kids have kept you up all night requires a lot of work! The rules are different, depending on whether you are a stay-at-home mom or a working mom. Well, the good news is that there are ways other than drinking pots of coffee to get through the day.

Enclose and sleep

The best bet to catch a power nap is to create a safe zone for the kids and then curl up near them for your sleep. There is nothing wrong in barricading your kids in a small area and falling asleep on the floor beside them. You’ll soon become adept at sleeping through any noises; just make sure you don’t get pricked by Lego pieces.

Think positive

The power of positive thinking plays a role in this department, too. Just try
putting on your “glass half full” goggles. Numerous studies have shown that
humans can survive for short periods of time with just four to five hours of sleep a night. Just reminding yourself of this fact will help you feel positive about your situation.

Hit outdoors

Staying outdoors beats staying indoors. Taking your children to a nearby park or playground will certainly help. It will also give you the much-needed Vitamin D.

Research has indicated that staying indoors while tired, exacerbates the feeling of tiredness. A word of caution, though: Don’t overdo the “stay outdoors” advice and push yourself too hard.

Laugh out loud

This tip is, perhaps, the most important one you will read. Try and do something that will make you laugh. Laughter, just like tears, relieves you from stress and leaves you feeling better. Laughing in the presence of kids is easy. You don’t need a huge repertoire.

The same jokes are guaranteed to work over and over again! If all else fails, stand in front of the mirror and make faces. Your children will find it hilarious and soon you’ll all be roaring with laughter.

Be like a yogi

Yoga and meditation are being suggested as remedies for many ailments and sleep deprivation is no exception. Inversion poses are great for waking up the body and mind. There is nothing that cannot be helped by a series of sun-salutation exercises or a little meditation. And it is never too early to start your children on this route.

Don’t eat junk

When you are tired from lack of sleep and don’t feel inclined to cook, it is very tempting to eat junk. There is only one word for this: Don’t. Junk food is not only bad for your health, but also makes you more tired and sleepy. Drink water with lemon. This will wake you up and then, you can cook and eat some real food.

Look good

You often neglect how you look, don’t you? You’re just a mommy of two. Who cares how you look? You should! So, have a shower and put on some nice clothes. You feel as good as you look.