How to get a Good Night's Sleep...

When you become a parent, sleep can change from something that you take for granted to somewhat of a luxury. Whether it's because you're sharing your bed with a wriggly toddler who likes to sleep diagonally, or you're up until the early hours tidying up up LEGO, and trying to find your carpet under a sea of toys, getting a full eight hours every night becomes a distant memory.

As we tell our children, sleep is important and plays a vital role in our health and well being, so in the interests of looking after ourselves it is important to do what we can to get a good night's sleep.

I've put together some top tips to help mums get the best out of their time in bed:

 Turn your bedroom in to a sleep sanctuary

The bedroom should be for sleep (and maybe one other thing...) if you remove other things that may be distracting you, you are more likely to get to sleep easier and reap the benefits. Laptops, game consoles and TV's a can keep you awake and disturbed, even when they are not on they have standby lights, may buzz or create electronic noise. Replace these with calming pictures and decor that relaxes you so that as soon as you enter your boudoir you can't wait to drift off into a dreamworld. If you have streetlights outside your house invest in some blackout curtains to keep your room quiet and dark.  

Make sure your bed is comfortable

Your bed is the piece of furniture that you are likely to spend the most time using, but how much time did you spend choosing it? When shopping for beds take time to think about what you want. Your bed should be inviting and comfortable, so take time to research and choose the perfect one for you. We may not all be able to have a four poster king size bed with silk drapes and 10 pillows (yes that is my fantasy bed!) but you can make sure that you have a mattress that suits you and choose bedding in colours and fabrics that help you to relax.

 Give yourself a bedtime routine

It may sound silly but it works for your children so why not you?  Try to get strenuous tasks such as house work or exercise done earlier in the evening and give yourself some chill out time before bed. For the last hour before going to bed limit your food and drink, especially caffeine. There is nothing more annoying than almost drifting off to sleep then realising that you need the loo! A few minutes before you go to sleep, stay away from any external stimulation, including books, newspapers, TV or other sources of noise or light.

These are just some things that you can do to maximize the benefits of the sleep you do manage to get. I'd love to hear your tips for getting a good night's sleep?

This is a collaborative post.