I sleep like a toddler.

by

Do I need more of this?!

Shocking! Im not here!

 

These days it seems the most common question I receive is about sleep.

I get lots of what do you eat?! or will you share your workout routine? queries—but more than anything Im asked what time I plop my misfit-self in bed, how you can become an early riser & if I get enough rest (according to that test I *do*–you?!).

I completely understand.

Given the time of day I comment on blogs, commence tweeting & yammer on Facebook it makes sense you’re more intrigued with my bedtime than my biceps.

I ADORE you for it.

You may regret asking after this long snooze-sparking post*—yet, sleep, in my opinion, is the cornerstone to success in all facets of life.

Ive always been a lark.

Im energized by the promise of what the day might hold & the irrepressible feeling today! could! be! the! one!

If youre happily an owl—dont change!

While we can shift ourselves slightly either way—given my natural inclination & that of the Tornado, Im not certain we should try!

<3

yes. yes I do.

Im asleep by 10p & awake at 4 am.

I get up, snag ME-TIME (meditate/work) & squeeze a PLAYout in with the Tornado all before it’s time to walk to school.

I also never set an alarm.

My *firm* belief is if Im not awake & ready to go-go-go! then Im not meant to be awake. I must need more rest.

Im always awake & eager to wrangle my day by 4a.

(Lest it sound as though Im bragging you should see me at 9p. It’s ugly. Im over my day & already longing for a new one.  you’ll have that)

Personal proclivities aside–be you OWL or LARK–I believe we all need to treat ourselves like TODDLERS with regards to sleep.

I quickly learned this one needed a routine.

this one taught me ALL about slumber…

Three tips for sleeping creating a toddler-like sleep routine:

  • Set a routine and stick to it! This simple concept changed my life. As a freelance writer my days are unpredictable. It’s the nature of the job. Keeping my transition from awake to asleep *routine* helps immensely with turning off my work-brain. The more predictable my sleep schedule—the more easily I slip into slumber.  I know this is a challenge with busy lives–yet the benefits of nightly rituals (from tea to journaling) are immeasurable.
  • Leave on a light to scare away monsters! I was plagued by the Cr*p Did I Forget To Do That?! monster & the Shoot I Need To Remember to XXX boogie-woman. My grown-up nightlight? A notebook. I always have pen & paper by my bed.  If I start fretting/mental list-making I grab it, do a braindump so I can *SLEEP* & handle my list in the morning. This tactic works wonders in banishing nighttime fret-fears so my mind rest.
  • Dont wait to unwind! We’d never summon a toddler from a game of freeze tag, plop her in bed and expect her to fall immediately asleep! We recognize the need for transition time. We adult-types forget that same fact about ourselves. Whatever time you go to sleep, ‘start the process’ early.  Provide your mind a chance to s-l-o-w-l-y shed the day’s thoughts/worries & ready itself for rest. Studies say we ‘should’ unplug from screens long before bed time. MizFit says explore different options/find what works best to relax you. From Kindle to Chamomile discover what helps *your* mind unwind.
  • Here is where, were we not chatting about TODDLERS I’d add a rant about caffeine consumption after noon & keeping the bed for, uh, *BED STUFF* and not web surfing. Please to remind yourself of the benefits of these two notions.

(*looks around to see if anyone is still awake & reading*)

I know.

More than you wanted to know about my thoughts on sleep—yet three steps which have tremendously helped me increase my slumber.

Now I turn to you.

  • Whats your NUMBER ONE tip for falling, staying or making more time for sleep?
  • Do you believe we can shift from OWL to LARK?


 

*which I guess would make this a winwin, huh?

 

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Comments

  1. I agree that routine is very important. I am one that follows the same routine every evening and I sleep like a “toddler” for sure 🙂

  3. I love the tip about a notebook. A busy mind is the one main thing that keeps me up…I am afraid that I will forget the great idea that just came to me 🙂

  5. i’m a lark! yes, same here. I was in bed by 9:30 last night, sometimes 10pm and up with no alarm by 5am. I sleep well. Can’t complain. I hope kids don’t spoil it. haha–> in the future, not now.

  6. I’m a lark for sure! I was at Innsbrook with my parents this weekend and woke up at 6 and was like uhhhh now what? I’m used to Jonny being up with me and he wasn’t there! haha

  8. I’m totally a morning person! I’m also in bed by 10p and I pretty much pass out immediately. I have to work hard to stay awake to…um…keep Hubs happy. My day is jam packed with activity, mostly physical, right from the get-go so by 9pm, I’m wiped.
    Occasionally, I have the working-brain issue at bed time. The notepad by the bed is a good idea. I’ll start doing that. Thanks, Miz!

  9. I am a lark. Even on most weekends I am asleep by 10 and up by 7am naturally.
    I believe in routine. Between 7:30 and 8pm weeknights I enjoy a cup of lavender & chamomile tea, which tells my body AND mind it’s time to start relaxing.

  10. There’s the obvious….a regular workout routine.

    Then there’s the alcohol. Avoid alcohol before bedtime – you’re brain doesn’t work well with it. I’ve found another thing as well…sometimes if I force sleep, it makes things worse. Fall asleep naturally when your body wants to.

  12. Completely with you on the importance of sleep. It is HIGH on my priority list. I am in bed around 9 every night, getting up around 5. I always wind down for about 30 min. either with a book or a little (Bravo) TV. And no, I don’t think I could ever be an owl!

  13. I’m all for consistency. I start to wind down around 9:00 and in bed at 10. Almost without fail. I set an alarm, but try to skip the alarm on the weekends. That doesn’t always happen, but it’s nice to let my body wake up when it’s rested and not when I “need” to.

  14. I definitely have a routine but whether people think it is a healthy one is for another time. 🙂 I guess I could be called an owl & a lark but I consider myself a morn person.. my brain does not think well past 5 or 6 pm… I have always been a morn & early or earlier to bed person. It works for me but I know it may not for others. As for the alarm.. I always used to wake up before it,, with the horomone & age change – well, I usually hear the alarm now but I am OK with that – doing decent for 56. 😉

  17. Don’t wait to unwind is the tip I needed to hear.
    I joke about going going going and then slamming on the brakes for bed.
    I don’t sleep well, however, so it is not longer funny.

  19. I think owl to lark is possible…it happened to me. I do like late hours but now know that for me to be up in the mornings and do what I need to do, I need to sleep. I find if I automatically get up when my alarm is due I’ve gotten enough sleep. It’s odd being the early riser now and I don’t know if I’ll ever like it, but it helps me do what I need to do. The biggest thing is not sleeping in on the weekends…which is sad, but so much more sane-making the rest of the week.

  20. What do you call someone who is neither an owl, nor a toddler? I go to bed at 10 and sleep until 6-6:30. My body seems to require a ridiculous amount of sleep.

    • 8-8.5 hours is not a ridiculous amount of sleep! That’s perfectly normal!

      I think (and I’m totally not even going to google this to back up my upcoming assertion) that most people function best with between 7-9 hours of sleep. Some (like MizFit and my husband) are fine with 6. I personally need 7.5-8 for optimal energy. Except today, when there is not enough sleep because I am sick (thanks for the germs, toddler of my own).

  22. I’ve always been an early riser, but that rise-time has moved back. Now 7 am (sometimes 8) is where my body wakes up. 10-11 pm is the hit the hay magic number!

    I have a evening routine that works well for me:

    I get my feet up for at least an hour before going to bed. I discovered quite by accident that this one step is important for me to relax into sleep. I frequently knit for an hour or two with the TV on to occupy my mind. Cutting myself off from my life in a way is a big step in the disconnect to sleep.

    Up to the bedroom, for some Mag/Zinc and cuddle with dogs.

    When I get to bed, I get as horizontal as I can. I “brain dump” my tasks for the next day and set reminders on my phone to get them done. Then read some fiction for 1-2 chapters.

    When the lights go off, I’m asleep in 5-10 minutes.

  24. Wow, I don’t know if I could only have six hours of sleep!

    I got to bed at 10:45 – I start the process of getting ready at 10:30. I am one of those lucky people (even at age 45!) that falls asleep in literally five minutes. I just tell myself “stop thinking, it’s time to sleep.” Not joking, I say it out loud.

    My alarm is off at 6:15 – I am out the door to the gym by 6:30 and workout from 7:15 – 8:30. Luckily my gym is right next to my office, so I am at my desk at 8:45. 😀

  26. This is so perfect… my son’s sleep patterns have changed lately and ahhhhhhhhhh! Anything that I can do to help him!

  28. I need to start the notebook thing – that is the one thing that can keep me awake.

    I have an alarm that goes off on my phone at 9:15 to remind me to start my bedtime routine. My PT stretches, picking out my next day outfit, one last check on my toddler (who is sacked out for his typical 11 hour sleepfest), and then in bed to read until 10 when a second alarm goes off for lights out. I’m up around 5:45 in the morning (7 on weekends! Because I am a sleeping in rebel!) for an hour of writing before the rest of my family gets up.

  29. Well…I **need** to transition from night owl, because I fear that if I don’t, I won’t be able to get all of my STUFFS done now that I have 2 babies. I feel like there are at least 2 solid morning hours that I could capitalize on (but I’m currently sleeping through). I’m hoping that after we get past this “2-week-old-baby-cluster-feeds-from-seven-to-midnight” phase, I can begin putting myself to bed earlier.

  30. I am so jealous. I would love to be a happy and ready to seize the day type of morning person. I have been training myself to like mornings for 3+ years and still wake up like a bear (like that one commercial?? yeah that’s me)…

  31. since i’m on a weekday evening gym schedule and a weekend evening dance/bar schedule 😉 i just cannot get to bed at 9-10PM most nights. however some nights i am indeed asleep by 10 when my body needs it. i most often on weeknights am asleep around 11PM but i really try to get in bed by 10 or so. you’re so right about starting the sleep process early…it’s so hard for me to just hop into bed and sleep. my day feels incomplete without my wind-down time in bed with a snack/book and then my NPR.

  33. I converted myself to a lark (about 7 years ago) – it was the only way to make sure I could workout so it was worth it for me. Now I prefer my early(er) bed-time and early mornings.
    If I could just figure out how to sleep all night instead of in 2-3 hour windows life would be great!!!

  34. My own version goes something like this:

    1. Strap noise-canceling headphones to cranium with duct tape.
    2. Padlock bedroom door so no one can get it — not even the husband.
    3. Hide behind curtains if all else fails.

    This sleep system is virtually bulletproof. I should patent it.

  35. We are the family that loves their sleep. Both kids slept through the night at 6 weeks and it’s been that way ever since. We like to play hard and sleep hard I guess. We are definitely owls. The husband is more naturally an early riser. I lark when I’m back home on Maui though – but that’s purely driven by the need catch good surf. My number one sleep tip: never check email or bank accounts before bed. 🙂

  36. I think I’m naturally a BIT more of a lark, because I get stuff done in the morning. If I save it till night I’m just not as productive. I married a super night owl though, so sometimes I stay up late to hang out with him when I’d really much rather be snoozing. Going to bed around the same time is HUGE. Also, I like to read kind of boring books like Little House on the Prairie before bed.

  37. Damn woman. I wish that I had your energy on 6 hours of sleep. You wouldn’t want to Skype with me after a couple of nights of that!

    I’m an 8-hour girl, with a preference for 9 if I can get ’em.

    No tips to add, other than ‘bedroom stuffs’ can help with sleep 😉

  38. I’m not a good sleeper at all. Wish I was. Dennis can sleep anywhere, anytime… I’m a very early riser, but just have trouble getting to and staying asleep most nights. I did notice though, on power yoga days, I get to sleep faster. Which means…I should do that every day.

  39. Lark here, and I get larkier and larkier every year!

    Menopause has messed with sleep over the last couple of years, but (knock wood) it’s gotten better of late. I’ll wake up, have a massive hot flash, but then instead of laying there wide awake for the next few hours, most of the time I getting better able to nod off again. Fingers crossed the wide awake nights won’t return soon, they sucked!

  40. Haha, nice tips. Thanks for sharing. What works for me is to try to clear my mind of any thoughts I might have just as you do when you want to meditate. Another method I find useful is to read a book with a lot of unusual vocabulary or about a complicated topic (i.e. not very easy to understand) this makes me sleepy automatically :).

  41. You and I get up around the same time! 🙂 I’ve always gotten up early. I like the notebook/pen suggestion!

    Unfortunately, lately I’ve been having trouble sleeping. I’ll have to adjust my routine a bit…

  42. I have insomnia. I go to bed at 10PM and am up at 4:30AM but I am awake usually from midnight to 2 or 3AM. I seem to function well on this routine so I don’t worry about it too much. Usually one or two nights a week I will sleep through the night. I have slept this way since I was a young teen.

  43. To a degree, we can cope with changing — my Sweetie is a confirmed OWL who wakes up early each morning to get to work. It’s not in his nature, but he can do it.

    As a lark, i am like you — about an hour or so before i know i will be naturally able to fall asleep, i go upstairs and get ready with my routine. When i’m nodding over my reading or crossword, i’m done. While i have an alarm to make sure Sweetie wakes for work, i get up before it goes off, ready to do stuff.

  45. We are like sleep sisters. I’ve always been a lark as well. I’m at my best when I hit the sack at 10 and I’m up sans alarm by 4:30. I am definitely fading by 9pm. Love that early morning sliver of alone time!

  48. I have a routine I follow, but it doesn’t necessarily lead to good sleep. I have now entered perimenopause (EEEEK!) and am starting to get night sweats and insomnia that can go along with that. The night sweats suck. truly.

  50. Perhaps I misunderstood, but I thought darkness is important for effective sleep.

    I certainly agree with the other suggestions.

    As a surgeon, I am lucky to be able to fall asleep pretty easily, fortunately 🙂

  51. I am the queen of “have I done everything” thinking that I start obsessing and making lists in my head!

    I sleep with earplugs, eye mask and a very dark room. That helps a lot to shut the brain down.

  52. Great post! Man…sleep is so important. I think I say that more than I live that out, but I am very aware that how I sleep sure affects my day. Loved your tips!

    Mine to add? Get up at the same time every day. This is tough, especially if your schedule varies day to day like mine does and if you sleep in on weekends (ahem – for those of us without kids!). 😉 My husband did an interview with a sleep specialist concerning people’s routines during cancer treatments and part of why their fatigue is so great (besides the chemo and drugs) is because they had a routine and then didn’t have one anymore (ie: no more work, sleeping in, steroids keep them up at night). I was shocked to learn that it’s less about “getting to bed early!” like we try to and more about waking up at the same time every day to help improve your sleep. Interesting, hey? …so that’s my tip. 😉

  54. I’m an owl and cannot see myself as an early riser (although I get up at 0700, and feel that’s really early). I like to get in bed and read for a bit. It’s my peaceful time.

  55. I’ve been on both sides of the spectrum but since becoming a parent, I can’t seem to get enough sleep. I actually just finished an in-home sleep study to determine if I have sleep apnea (I don’t think so but not feeling refreshed after a full night’s sleep has been going on for awhile). Awaiting results.

    I also need an excessively long time to wind down which unfortunately, my little one has inherited.

  56. I am a lark with owl tendencies. 🙂 I’m up before daybreak and start dragging by 8 or 9 at night. Now and then, though, I’ll have a streak where I’m just not sleepy at night. After fretting about it for a bit, I finally decided to just embrace it and read or watch something silly on TV. (But not like Duck Dynasty silly.)

    Best tip for slowing down the mind for sleep: Start counting backward from 60, breathing in on the even numbers and exhaling on the odd numbers.

  58. I’m a firm believer in a sleep schedule. Having kids proved it to me. When I tell people that I’m awake super duper early without an alarm, it’s not that I’m bragging. My body is ready to go at that time. If I stayed in bed any longer I’d be cranky and miserable all day. It’s the same if I stay up later than usual. Sleep is so important!

  59. I need to fix my sleep. I would like to get back on an early rising schedule (I loved it so!) but I find that the only time that I can get a solid chunk of work done is in the evening after the kids are asleep. It’s not optimal for sure. I do need to do a better job of winding myself down at the end of the day i.e. don’t scroll through Instagram before closing my eyes.

  61. 4am??? That is definitely not my favorite, but I do consider myself mostly a morning person. However, I always need 7-8 hours, so when I do get up that early, that bed time is 9pm, and sometimes 8. 😉

  64. My husband laughs at me because I fall asleep within 2 minutes of my head hitting my pillow.
    I am incredulous after reading that you consistently get only 6 hours of sleep! How much more I could do everyday with an extra 2 hours. LOL. I’ve always needed lots of sleep–slightly more than the average person. I go to bed at 10:30 get up at 7 am (I nurse my baby once or twice at night now though) and still am not getting quite enough. Another 30 minutes would be perfect. 🙂

  65. I wake up with an alarm but I’m usually very ready to go when it goes off. I used to be an owl but life changed and so did I. I love what I can get done between 5-7 am.

  66. YES! This is so me too. I’m up at 4:30-4:45 but go to bed by 9:00 or 9:30 at night. My body is used to this routine. I have energy for my day (although I’m ready for bed when the time comes and sleep HARD) and also the schedule that allows me to feel productive and at peace.

  68. Like you, I’m in bed by 10pm on most night (definitely by 1030pm). I’m up by 530. It’s a routine that I’ve created for myself (thanks to SuperFit too), that has re-awakened me in a sense that I feel more rested now that I’m actually getting enough sleep.

    On weekends, I wake when I wake. You put it perfectly “My *firm* belief is if Im not awake & ready to go-go-go! then Im not meant to be awake. I must need more rest” I like that.

  69. Great post. Sleep is the one part of my life that I feel needs most improvement. I am really healthy in other things. However, I have such a hard time going to sleep at an early hour. I have an even harder time waking up. I need to have more intention with regard to my sleep cycle. A good sleep leads to so many other benefits in your health and well-being.

    I would love to be a morning person. To be the type of person who wakes up at 5pm and goes for a morning run.

  70. It took me a while to adjust to getting up early, but a few weeks of waking up with the alarm at 5am made it in to a habit. Set a time for bed and a time to get up for the first few weeks and before you know it your body will adjust.

    The morning’s the best time of the day for me. Weekdays it’s my workout time before work, and on weekends it’s when I get me writing done before my toddler wakes up.

    Great read, and some great tips in the article and the comments!

  71. Early morning is my favorite time of day! Of course I start to fade early in the evening because I am usually up by 5:30 but this works for me. Routine, routine, routine – it’s so important on so many levels. When I disrupt my routine I get all thrown out of whack!

  72. I feel very strongly that adequate sleep is the most important thing we can give our bodies. As you know, I have fibromyalgia now, and I haven’t yet found that that golden key to relieve my pain adequately – probably because I have refused to take narcotics or sleep medication. If I could get my pain and anxiety under control, sleep would be much easier. Because getting to sleep at a decent time has been such a challenge for me over the last few months, I’ve taken up a regular meditation schedule. It helps, but some nights I have to meditate longer than others. Also, I’ve been drinking herbal tea in the evenings. I start with chamomile, then have a blend with passionflower and other sleep-inducing herbs. That helps, too. Not perfect, but I’m still experimenting.

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