Hey there!
Nurse Mom to Five here with why sleep matters.
I woke up groggy like most mornings after being up half the night with the baby. I'm constantly feeling like I'm in a fog and just. so. irritable. My brain struggles to get going like a car motor that doesn't want to start up. The kids all want breakfast and as I'm struggling to stay awake, feed the kids, get the laundry going and get the day started, i'm forgetting to take care of myself.
I know what I need but its so hard to come by to get good sleep! When you don't get good sleep your body is not able to rejuvenate fully and allow you to feel rested and full. Sleep is something my body likes to fight, why do I need sleep??? But I notice when I'm up multiple times during the night that I don't get good sleep and I feel very achy and sore in the morning.
Good sleep equals: you feel rested upon waking. You awake happy and ready to start the day. You want to eat the healthy foods because you feel more energetic to prepare them. You have more mental alertness, leading to better productivity. Your immune system can function better!
There are many more reasons why sleep is good, but I think another important one is linked to anxiety and depression. These are huge topics and sleep is a broad topic in relation to these health conditions but I would like to highlight here the topic of Post-Partum Depression.
Many moms experience this and its different for many moms. It also onsets at different times and can also show up as post-partum anxiety. For me I believe I have high-functioning post partum anxiety and have learned how to cope my own ways. This is also a sensitive topic for many and in light of this would like to ask you, how has your journey been? Do you get good sleep? As a nurse and a mom I have had many sleepless nights and I have been there too. I have been in the trenches of having to be up with a baby and go to work day shift the next day. I have had to work overnights and get sporadic sleep during the day.
What do you do to get through the sleepless nights? Do you nap? Do you find a sitter to help with the extra things that pile up? Are you coping at all? I pray for your sanity, and know you're tough, you can get through this. This too shall pass and remember the stages in life and that it's ok to ask for help. It's ok to feel like you can't manage it all and that feeling of overwhelm??? I've been there.
Sleep matters because YOU matter. You do what you need to do to get your sleep so you can be the BEST mom, the BEST version of you. Take that nap. Take the offer for a sitter. Swap kids with a friend. Sleep when the baby sleeps. If you need help, get help.
That's all for today. Sleep well. :-)
Have a wonderful day!!!
Kara- The Nurse Mom
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