If you’re tired and you know it clap your hands. Clap-Clap. If you’re tired and you know it clap your hands. Clap-Clap. 

Okay, I’ll stop.

But you see when I get tired, I start making cute little songs in order to cope with my own delirium.

I swear no one knows sleep-induced delirium quite like moms do. The sleepless nights caring for a newborn roll right into the sleep-interrupted nights young children bring; and from what I hear the teenage years aren’t associated with delivering restful nights for mom either.

While the outlook for moms getting rest apears grim, the optimist in me says there has got to be a way to eek out more rest. At the very least, I want to be set up for a solid nights rest so that when those rare interruption-less nights happen I’m not blowing it by staying up too late eating chocolate and liking posts on Instagram.

Most moms have bedtime routines and rules for the children in the house; I’m suggesting we take the time to create some for ourselves, too.After hours of careful (albeit unscientific) research, I’ve got some tactics moms can use for setting themselves up for some sleep.

(Drumroll please.)

7 Bedtime Rituals for a Better Night’s Rest:

1. Set the mood by lowering the lights as bedtime approaches.

2. Don’t eat anything within an hour and a half of bedtime and try to eat dinner at least three hours before bedtime to allow time to digest.

3. Shut down all screens (TV’s, tablets, iPhones, etc.) at least one hour prior to bedtime. Apparently, blue screens are really stimulating. (Tell that to my husband who falls asleep to Sports Center every night.)

4. Dab your pillow and/or temples with lavender oil – a great essential oil for soothing and calming the mind and body.

5. Pick a reasonable bedtime and stick with it. Your body’s circadian rhythm will kick in once it recognizes a consistent shut down time.

6. Leave a note pad by your bed for any last-minute a-ha’s to add to your to-do list. There’s nothing worse than remembering something you forgot to do that day right before you’re about to drift off. Emptying your mind of open loops will help put your mind at ease.

7. Take a bath. On those days where the little details of your new-and-improved sleep routine won’t cut it, draw yourself a nice relaxing bath.

Sweet mom friends, what sleep rituals do you enlist to get more sleep?