We Bet You Have Momsomnia: You Sacrifice Sleep For Me-Time

• After a long day of hard work, you finally get a chance to lay on the bed and get some precious sleep but instead, you find yourself scrolling at endless TikTok videos or browsing through reviews of the best purifiers on sale online.

  Sooner or later, you realize that you only have less than five hours before another day of hard work begins. If you’re stuck in this endless loop of lack of sleep, you’re probably experiencing “momsomnia.”

  What is momsomnia and why it happens?

  “Momsomnia” is the parents’ version of revenge bedtime procrastination. The New York Times (NYT) says momsomnia is “when parents just want a few hours to themselves to do whatever they want, and cannot find that time during the day.”

  It’s like trying to regain control over your time after getting a lot of tasks done during the day but at the cost of your bedtime hours. Psychotherapist and author Heather Darwall-Smith said this happens because “people might think, ‘I don’t want to just be working and sleeping, I’m going to do something that’s nice for me.’”

  In an NYT article, neurology and psychiatry expert Shelby Harris proposed another reason parents, primarily moms, experience difficulty sleeping. This is because of what she calls “sleep threats.”

  These sleep threats develop because parents need to be alert when their kids cry in the middle of the night. So, Harris says it becomes hard for parents to fall asleep “because they’re so conditioned to listening.”

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  How to outsmart momsomnia?

  Just like with other unhealthy sleeping habits, there are things you can do to cope with momsomnia. Here are some tips to get you out of the cycle of sabotaging your own sleep.

  Set a bedtime and wake time schedule and stick to it

  Consistency is the key! Training yourself to follow a sleep routine will keep you from engaging in activities that take up your time that is supposedly for sleep.

  Harris adds that since you get ample sleep by incorporating it into a strict schedule, you become more productive and efficient in finishing your daily tasks. In turn, you avoid the feeling of having less time for yourself.

  While it’s important to allot time for doing the things you want to do aside from the things you need to do, sacrificing your sleep will not do any good for your health. In fact, Harris notes that with a regular lack of sleep, “you’re going to end up having more problems in the long run.”

  Allot time to unwind before going to bed (at least 30 minutes)

  Harris says that it is common for parents to find it challenging to declutter their thoughts before going to sleep because of being too active during the day. This is especially true during the pandemic when more parents balance work while overseeing their kids’ schooling at home.

  What would help, Harris says, is giving yourself time, at least 30 minutes before bed, to just relax and wind your brain down.

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  Stretching before bedtime

  Experts have rallied behind the benefits of stretching to achieve better sleep. Stretching is said to be adequate to release tension and achieve a peaceful mind. Get to know what types of stretching you can do to improve your sleep here.

  Learn more about insomnia: 

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  Pagod Pero Hindi Makatulog? Tanda At Ligtas Na Solusyon Para Sa Insomnia Ng Buntis

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We Bet You Have Momsomnia: You Sacrifice Sleep For Me-Time
Source: Progress Pinas