How To Better Improve Your Sleep Deprivation

Improve Your Sleep Deprivation

Even before I was pregnant with my first child, there were days when I had bad insomnia leading to sleep deprivation. I would toss and turn in my bed until I saw the sunrise and it was time to get up.

If I had any type of caffeine in my system that day, then it was game over for the night as well. I didn’t realize the importance of sleep and how sleep deprivation affects your body.

Lack Of Sleep

While I was pregnant with my first born, I had so many sleepless nights. As my belly got bigger, tossing and turning was not possible. I would just end up laying on one position wide awake, without being able to move much.

I would lay there watching something on my iPad or having the tv on quiet enough to so that my husband could continue to sleep.

There were nights where I would be awake long enough that I became hungry again. You know what that I meant. I would go downstairs and make myself some unhealthy ramen noodles. And in order to digest, I would wide awake some more. My sleep deprivation was slowly affecting my body.

Consequences Of Lack Of Sleep

Gradually my body started feeling the fatigue and the lack of functioning. I started getting a lot of headaches, lightheaded, and brain foggy at times. Migraines became frequent and I felt so disoriented, as the days of insomnia increased. It became a cycle. I would get 3 days of descent sleep and 3 days of not.

On the days that I got sleep, my mind felt refreshed and less grogginess. The days where I lacked sleep, I felt more agitated and short tempered. The more fatigue I was getting, the less activities I was doing, which meant my brain wasn’t being active either. That’s when I realized how sleep deprivation affects your body.

Current Situation

Fast forward to present days. After Many sleepless nights, and a one foggy brained mommy, I’ve realized that my body needed SLEEP. I’ve had countless days of sleep deprivation from both of the kids early years.

The night time feedings took a huge toll on my sleep schedule. I wasn’t able to sleep during the day because I was never a day time napped either. I still have days where I would be wide awake for hours in the middle of the night but not as often.

Changes To Improve Sleep Patterns

Hydrate – My daily water intake has dramatically increased to keep myself hydrated. Lemon water is a plus

Physical Activities – Increase in physical activities helps the brain stay more alert and active. I do a daily exercise of some sort. Sometimes it can be from a video or on the stepper machine.

Diet – By diet, I meant to try to eat a balance meal. Heavier meals during the day and less for dinner. Snacks in between to help you meet your hunger needs.

Caffeine Intake – I was never a caffeine person to begin with, but I make sure that I don’t eat or drink caffeinated food/drinks.

Vitamins – Vitamins were something I was never consistent with. I’ll take some for a few days and then forget about them for weeks. Now I make sure to take daily vitamins, as I give my children theirs.

Project – Find something that you can focus on. Keeping busy with your toddler. Finding a moment to write a blog or a read book. Do something that keeps your brain working.

Quotes About Sleep

• “I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I’m awake, you know?” – Ernest Hemingway

• “No wonder Sleeping Beauty looked so good…she took long naps, never got old, and didn’t have to do anything but snore to get her Prince Charming.” – Olive Green

• “You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” – Dr. Seuss

• “We are such stuff as dreams are made on.” – William Shakespeare

• “Having peace, happiness and healthiness is my definition of beauty. And you can’t have any of that without sleep.” – Beyonce

• “People spend money on beauty potions, but a good night’s rest makes all the difference.” – Christina Aguilera

• “Whoever drinks beer, he is quick to sleep; whoever sleeps long, does not sin; whoever does not sin, enters Heaven! Thus, let us drink beer!” – Martin Luther

• “And I start sleeping and dreaming and I think I’ll dream about you all through the night.” – John Mayer

• “As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well spent brings happy death.” – Leonardo da Vinci

• “Control what you can control. Don’t lose sleep worrying about things that you don’t have control over because, at the end of the day, you still won’t have any control over them.” – Cam Newton

• “There is more refreshment and stimulation in a nap, even of the briefest, than in all the alcohol ever distilled.” – Edward Lucas

• “If I have a bad game, I think about what I have to do to return to form. Figure it out, go to sleep, and wake up a new man.” – Matt Kemp

• “Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone.” – Anthony Burgess

• “Next time you see someone sleeping, make believe you’re in a science fiction movie. And whisper, ‘The creature is regenerating itself.'” – George Carlin

• “Sleep is still most perfect, in spite of hygienists, when it is shared with a beloved. The warmth, the security and peace of soul, the utter comfort from the touch of the other, knits the sleep, so that it takes the body and soul completely in its healing.” – D.H. Lawrence, Sons and Lovers

Keep in mind these are only what I’ve gone through and what has helped me get a better sleep. Other’s have relied on other things that may have helped them. Some of these tips may or may not work on everyone. But if you do have sleep deprivations, it is worth looking into making some changes. It will help you in the long run.

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