As an experienced Mom, there have always been a multitude of things to keep me up at night, and I know I’m not alone. Whether it’s worrying about my teenager, my career, my aging Mom, replaying scenes from my day or more recently night sweats! There always seems to be something to create trouble sleeping and keeping me from a good night’s sleep. Today I’ll share what’s worked for me and how I’m getting better sleep now, allowing me to show up as my best.

What Keeps you up at Night

Worrying about others

Where is my teenager? Who are they with? Are they making good choices? Are they happy? Do they have the skills to deal with their current or next challenge? Am I a good Mom?

Is my Mom as healthy as she tells me? Is she safe living alone? Is she getting out enough? Am I doing enough to support her?

First, think about what you can actually control and what you can’t. For the things you can’t control, the remedy for worry is often to find ways to stay more connected with the individuals you are worrying about so that you can better assess where they may need help. Have open and honest conversations with them. Encourage them to share their feelings and concerns with you, and be sure to validate their experiences.

With teenagers, refrain from telling them what they should do, but provide guidance and ask them what their plan is. Allow them to identify solutions and own their own problems. This will allow them to learn the skills they need to address challenges when they’re on their own. And when they own their problems, you can begin to let go.

With older parents, seek support from your friends and theirs to assess the situation, make recommendations and determine next steps. If you decide to do nothing, then let it go. If you decide action is needed, then take it. Sitting on worry without action is a significant cause of trouble sleeping so let go of what you can.

Career Concerns

Balancing work and family responsibilities can be challenging, and it’s easy to feel like you’re not doing enough in either area. Instead of trying to balance it all every day, try to look ahead at when you’ll need more time at work and communicate that to your family. And then make that up on another week. Have a conversation with your employer about how you will show up for them but also expect to be able to show up for your family. And if you work for yourself, be more aware of how much time you are actually working. Then schedule key times away to support those who need you.

If you’re not loving your career or not getting the support you need, take action. Identify a plan to talk with your employer and/or start looking for another position that will offer you what you’re looking for in a lifestyle. I’m not just talking about salary, but an opportunity that allows for you to build the life you want. Flexibility may be much more valuable than income. It might be helpful to seek out mentorship or professional development opportunities to help you feel more confident and empowered in your career. I love helping women see their potential and take steps in that direction. If you’re curious how I can help, book a Discovery call to find out.

Self-Judgment

I’ve had many sleepless nights replaying conversations, presentations or emails beating myself up because they didn’t go as planned or I didn’t get the intended response. No matter how much you think about it, you can’t change the past. Instead, reflect and identify what you can do differently next time and move on. Own your growth and become better for it. When you are more focused on who you’re becoming rather than who you’re not your trouble sleeping starts to fade away.

If you want to better understand your emotions, take my free quiz to identify which one you lead with so that you can be more aware and make any changes to better support your needs.

Physical Annoyances

As moms, we often put our own needs last, prioritizing the well-being of our children and family over our own. However, neglecting your own self-care, any physical ailments and/or normal changes based on your stage of life can take a real toll on the quality of your sleep.

Start by carving out time for yourself each day. This can be as simple as taking a few minutes to meditate, read a book, or enjoy a cup of tea. Having some down time can reduce your stress level and enable better sleep. Prioritizing exercise and understanding how your diet contributes to your sleep quality can also help you make impactful changes.

As a woman with an active menstrual cycle, over 200 micronutrients fluctuate during the month depending on which phase of the cycle you are in. Compensating for those changes can reduce bloating, the volume of flow and other micronutrient related sleep disturbances. Similarly, night sweats and overall sleep quality can be improved in the same way. Curious what’s worked for me? Shoot me a message for the info.

Trouble Sleeping?

My core recommendations for getting better sleep are to do less, pay attention to what you need physically and emotionally, and to take action. Start small and make additional adjustments over time. And soon you can start creating trouble elsewhere!