They don’t call it ‘beauty sleep’ for nothing. A well rested night means a great looking YOU the next day. For sure, I recall many nights that were on the rough side, with either a sick child or some insomnia issues – and that roughness certainly showed through in my face the next day.
While you sleep, your body repairs itself. Experts say you need 8 hours of sleep to avoid puffy, bloodshot eyes, as well as dark under-eye circles and a pale washed-out complexion.
Your bedroom should be a sanctuary of rest and relaxation with a comfortable mattress, fresh and soft bed sheets with a quality pillow for neck support. A lovely quiet dark room is ideal for a good night sleep. And not just these factors influence your sleep, there is lots more you can do to get some good zzz’s into the night.
- Exercise every day. Even 20 minutes of walking can help keep stress hormones from interfering with your sleep.
- Avoid large meals just before bedtime. An active digestive system can disrupt sleep.
- Minimize light, noise and temperature extremes; your bedroom should be comfortably cool, about 68 degrees.
- Don’t read, watch television or work in bed. Use the bed only to sleep. This helps prevent you from developing sleep disorders.
- Avoid caffeine, nicotine or other stimulants within four hours of bedtime.
Yes, she brings one of her pillows because she used to hog ours and we complained that these were our pillows. Her cute flower pillow goes back to her room every morning to make a point that this is where she sleeps. I’m sure every parent has tons of little night time stories that involve their kids in their bed. I know these are the best nights in the world, even though they’re disrupted and my ‘beauty sleep’ isn’t really beauty sleep anymore. Still – Love them.
My goal for this week, is to try and go to bed earlier each night. I got into a bad habit of staying up late. Most likely because my daughter goes to bed later too with the summer days getting so long – sometimes the evenings are the best times to hang around outside – but the bedtime strategies go out the window.
So my goal. Go to bed early. No excuses.
Are you getting proper beauty sleep these days?
ps. I took this shot of my daughter’s feet in our bed this morning. I like how her pillow is right there next to her yet she still slept on my side of the bed ;) And my head was almost falling off when I woke up ;) I know one day, she won’t do this anymore so this is a sweet part of ‘right now’ that I want to hold on to….
bedroom photo on top : source
Blogger, Recipe Developer, Photographer and Author. Loves healthy food, photography, sunshine and dancing in the kitchen with her two daughters. 
I have just spent this entire evening holding my unsettled (older) little guy, and it took me some time to stop thinking about things I needed to do and just relax and cuddle with this all-too-quickly growing boy. He is now in my bed finally relaxed and I just had to slip downstairs for my first alone mama moments of the day – it has been a rough one.
This post was just all too perfect for me. I NEED more sleep. I have suffered from crazy insomnia in the past few weeks and just can’t seem to shake it. Kinda have to laugh because I eat quite a lot before bed, do NOT excercise, and ALWAYS read/write/plan while in bed. Maybe time to make some changes… Says she who sits, reads your blog, and types this @ quarter to twelve in the pm…
Look at those sweet, beautiful toes!!
I’m hoping you’ll be getting lots of rest soon.
I have phases where insomnia gets to me too.
Maybe a sleepy-time tea with valerium would help you out a bit. It helps me ;)
I appreciate you staying up to hang out on my blog, but when it is really late, and you are tired – please go to sleep instead ;)
I struggle with the same thing and need to remind myself to prioritize sleep.
Good luck ;)
Don’t read in bed??? Gosh, that will be a hard habit to break! I try to make it as tranquil as possible in my bedroom- no TV, no work but I still have a hard time sleeping….
Lori, I also have phases where I struggle. I think we constantly need to just keep reminding ourselves to relax, put things away and get those eyes shut earlier ;)
Our daughter likes to occasionally fall asleep in our bed while we are still up, and we just move her to her bed later. Though she never sleeps with us and never has a problem falling asleep in her own bed. Our room is dark and we keep it around 68 at night too. I usually pass out within 5 minues of my head hitting the pillow. Sometimes I am out before it hits, so my husband says!
Well you are LUCKY.
I don’t fall asleep quickly – never have. And it’s hard because thoughts come into my head and then some form of planning and anxious feelings are born…
So you are lucky indeed ;) My husband is also out in seconds ;)
How I would love a full night’s sleep!
adorable pictures of your girls fast asleep. My bedroom is painted a dark brown too! But peaceful it is NOT. What it is, is messy, bright in the mornings, and on the street side so we hear all out neighbors coming and going. There are no other bedrooms for us to switch to, but maybe if I just decluttered it a bit (I have no problem decluttering every other room in the house, but I rarely do it to my own bedroom!) that would help restore a better sense of peace.