Can I really rest during the day as a mom?
Sometimes, getting enough sleep as a mom just isn’t an option.
Find out how to rest during the day as a mom with a simple shift. Sometimes that’s all you need to re-energize and put a little more pep in your step.
“But, how?” you ask. Find rest on tired days with a quick meditation.
Rest your mind with A Short Daytime Rest
found under Sleep > For Tired Days > Short Daytime Rest
I haven’t been sleeping well. Stress has been building up and upsetting dreams seem to pull me out of restful sleep.
I know there are things I can try to help me get better sleep, but lately, I haven’t been prioritizing my sleep health.
I’ve found that on tired days, my best tools for mindfulness just aren’t effective.
This morning I was so overly tired and agitated. Every sound seemed to invade my focus. The annoying slurping sound my cat makes when she licks herself, the sudden cough of construction trucks outside my window, the sluggish way my daughter shuffles her feet as she moves around the room. It was all grating on my nerves in a way that just continued to build my irritability.
I’d had another night of restless sleep, and I was paying the price for it. So was my family.
My tired feeling was a downhill spiral, drawing me farther into a dark mood. Mom sleep deprivation was hitting me hard!
I’m tempted to say that my solution was to listen to “Short Daytime Rest” in the Mindful Mamas app. I can’t say that, though.
My solution was to give in to the irritations while trying to allow my body rest, or rather, be restless, and in a state of discomfort.
This is what happened when I tried to rest:
- Took a long, deep breath and set aside my to-do list for just 10 minutes.
- Laid down on the couch and pressed play on “Short Daytime Rest”
- Fidgeted
- Huffed in irritation at the lump in my pillow
- Tried to focus on relaxing
- Adjusted my hair so it would stop tickling my neck
- Scratched at the itch on my hip
- Breathed on cue with the meditation
- Scratched more as the itch moved locations to my thigh
- Begrudgingly sighed as I closed my eyes—still not 100% comfortable
This is what helped me to rest during the day as a mom:
I gave up on focusing on my body parts as instructed. The app still continued to softly cue for a Yoga Nidra practice, but I focused instead on listening to the sounds around me. I didn’t let them invade my focus, rather I invited these sounds in and really heard them.
The soft licking of my cat, harmonizing with her purrs in a symphony of feline bliss.
Outside I could hear some neighbors idly chatting while their dogs investigated each other, their voices muffled by the hum of traffic.
My daughter going about her day without concern, lightly shuffling with the carefree walk of someone who feels safe and loved.
All these sounds, cushioned by the soft voice in the Mindful Mamas app.
I woke up a few minutes later.
What did I learn trying to rest during the day?
The meditation was complete and the sounds of life were still happening around me.
Yes, I’m still very tired.
No, I didn’t find a magic cure for tired days, but I did find a moment to rest during the day as a mom.
I stepped out of the darkness that was clouding my mind and I cleared away the irritation.
Tired days happen. Tired weeks and months happen. Mom sleep deprivation happens to all of us from time to time.
And sometimes the meditation you turn on just isn’t giving you the full rest you need. But I encourage you to still turn on a meditation. Press play. Focus on what you can. Fidget if you need. Let the discomfort just be. Give in to the feeling for just a few moments.
You never know, rest might just find you anyway.
Pro tip: If you need a moment of stillness, it’s okay to step away. Take a few extra moments in the bathroom or rest your head in your hands for a bit. Give yourself permission to find moments of rest.
You’ve Got This, Mama. And We’ve Got You.