So we have been pretty lucky since M started sleeping through the night. Most nights (unless she is sick), once asleep about 8pm she stays asleep until somewhere between 6am and 8am.  10-12 hours.  Not bad.  Granted, she was about 10 months old when she started sleeping through the night, but I will take it.  The topic of many facebook posts, office conversations, and lunch chats this week have been about sleep so I thought it might be a good topic for the week.  Think about it.  How many times a day does someone say they are tired to you, you say you are tired to someone else, or you just don’t feel like you have the energy you want? If you are anything like me, it is a lot. 

“C”lue-Based on information from SleepFoundation.org the amount of sleep we need varies based on age, and also by person.  Research says there is no “magic number”/  I’m pretty sure I need 12 hours…and don’t get it.

“L”ink-My biggest problem is getting back to sleep if M wakes me up due to a nightmare or if our dog Hailey decides that it is not okay that there is a thunderstorm happening outside. And yes, we have tried the Thundershirt, anxiety pills, and other techniques to calm her during storms.  It’s all crap.  This past Monday night both happened within an hour of one another.  I had just fallen back asleep from Hailey’s meltdown to be awaken by Maddy screaming because of a nightmare.  About 5 minutes after Maddy was up, she was back and settled in bed.  I was not.  Tossing and turning and thinking about everything under the sun and not being able to relax.  So I googled…here is what I found.  7 Ways to Get Back to Sleep  One thing I learned from getting up 4 times a night when Maddy was a baby.  Don’t look at the clock.  Just don’t do it.  Otherwise you will just be thinking how many hours until you have to get up.  It took me a while to train myself not to look, but I don’t anymore and it really does help.  I also will use the relaxation technique that they talk about in #4.  One thing my mom used to tell me from when I was little.  I guess she wanted me to fall back asleep quickly too.  🙂 

“T”hought- Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Herb Tea – 8 out of 10. I wouldn’t suggest it if you wake in the middle of the night, but if you are having trouble sleeping try it.  And keep it consistent.  Two weeks is what it takes to see if an herb or medicine is working for you.  Maybe it becomes a habit, maybe it works.  It has helped me in the past!