I can’t sleep well lately . I go to bed 10pm but k auto wake 130am 3am 445am . I have 2 kids aged 8&5 . They wake around 630am
For day job I am an account manager who wears many hats some days can be stressful since I deal with clients and I need to ensure my numbers are nice by the deadline and monthly renewals .
Previously I started this magnesium supplement which help me to have deeper sleep but recently weeks the night waking came back again
Day time it led to more frequent headaches and I use Panadol extra to get by the day
I know the job demands , parenting young kids all piles up to a considerable amount of stress
Tried exercising , some nights I drink a bit to aid sleep but it was also the same waking up mid way to go toilet and I find it hard to get back to bed till my usual timing
What should I do to regain my usual sleep regime and been happy with myself again .
Thanks In advance for the advice
Hi @user461, thank you for your question! It seems like you have a lot on your plate right now with responsibilities at home and at work. It is understandable that you would be facing quite a bit of stress. I hear that taking magnesium supplements no longer help as effectively and you are experiencing frequent headaches throughout the day more. If you have been experiencing the headaches more than twice weekly for the past couple of weeks to a month, I highly encourage that you seek medical advice on this. It is not normal for tension-headaches (i.e. stress headaches) to occur that frequently, especially if you are requiring painkillers for it often.
In the meantime, here are some suggestions might help improve your sleep and mood:
- You may wish to try the 10-3-2-1 sleep method.
10 hours before bed- no caffeine.
3 hours before bed - no more food or alcohol.
2 hours before bed - no more work.
1 hour before bed - no more screen time.
This is a simple guide for good sleep hygeine that you may wish to incoporate in your daily routine. I understand that it may not work for everyone’s schedule and I can imagine that having two children to care for might make this step challenging, so please feel free to make any relevant adjustments that would fit into your lifestyle best!
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Have a wind down routine. An example of this would be to practice mindfulness through meditation before bed to help clear your head and relax your body. Here are some relaxing and meditative tools you may wish to try out:
(https://mindline.sg/youth?wysa_tool_id=sleep_deeply)
(Mental Support & Wellbeing Resources in Singapore to Improve Workplace Mental Health | mindline.sg)
Alternatively, here is a quick 10min guided meditation video on YouTube you may wish to follow if you prefer an audio guide: (10-Minute Meditation For Sleep - YouTube )
It may also be helpful to refer back to these tools if you awaken in the middle of the night to re-relax your body and allow your mind to drift back to sleep.
- Take frequent breaks from work and engage in activities you enjoy more often. This can be as simple as taking a quick 10min break to watch funny videos on your phone, eating your favourite food for lunch everyday, or treating yourself to an ice cream after dinner. The idea here is to reduce your stress levels and elevate your mood, even if they are for pockets at a time. It would be ideal if you can afford to take longer breaks and do longer activities like going for a massage (if that is what you’d enjoy), but I can imagine that you would tend to have a rather packed schedule throughout the day. Nonetheless, take your time and explore what works for you! You deserve to have fun and a good day as much as the next person does, regardless of your busy schedule.
I hope that these suggestions help, and I wish you all the best! o( ❛ᴗ❛ )o
