Sleep Deprived
Posted: January 31, 2011 at 12:46 pmCatching up from the weekend? Check out the posts & weekly features:
- Roasted Eggplant Panini (recipe) & Elliptical Intervals
- How Do YOU Define Sexy?
- Dinner With Friends & A Day at the Park
- This Week’s FFF Features – Butt Burners & Baby B Video
- Self Love Reflection of the Week: Inner Beauty
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So, the last two nights were pretty rough. Rough with a capital “R”. Actually, I take that back. They were ROUGH in all caps. What happened to my easy sleeper?
Someone once asked me what mothers do when they are short on sleep. Well, I know first hand this morning so I will tell you.
I toss my hair back in a ponytail and throw on sweats. I don’t recommend this every day, because prettying up in general helps me feel better, but sometimes its just downright necessary.
On the especially hard days, I do turn to caffeine. Oh, the sweet nectar of the sleep-deprived come to me!!
I bite my tongue a lot. I pray a lot. A calm demeanor is not my virtue when tired.
And I just do it. I get through because I have to. Sometimes with tears and that’s okay too. It passes. I keep telling myself it passes.
That’s all I can muster for a post right now. So, pretty please with a cherry on top click over to my guest post at Samantha from Bikini Birthday’s blog. Trust me that you would much rather read that post than anything sleep-deprived I could whip up right now.
Question of the Day – What do you do when you are sleep deprived, but can’t get a good nap?
Tags: motherhood
Oh, Tina, I’m so sorry you’re sleep-deprived! I really struggle to function when I don’t get rest, which could be very problematic down the road!
Oh girl, hope you get some rest tonight.
If possible…get a shower. Also, if possible, go for a walk in chilly air. Hope B feels like sleeping soon!
Sending your all of my calming and soothing thoughts your way hun!!!
Sending some positive vibes your way love!
I love how you can post the most optimistic and inspiring post and at the same time having the honesty to admit that there are rough patches as well! I hope the baby sleeps better today! 🙂
I do have a very blessed life, but its not always rainbows and butterfulies. That’s for sure!
Hang in there, new mom! You’re doing great.
Oh, gosh, Tina….I think it was me who asked you, because I always wonder how new moms (well, moms in general!) do it with very little sleep. I am very moody, whiney, and no fun when I’m tired. I suppose I would get used to it, but I would DEFinitely turn to caffeine! Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do, right??? Or maybe a walk outside would help to wake me up?
Chocolate! That’s my caffeine of choice……. 🙂
I like the way you think. 😉
Comfy pants and coffee, definitely!
Hope today just starts going up! I am so sorry the past two nights have been rough!
Just read your guest post and loved it! You have such a fresh perspective!
hope you get some sleep tonight!! when i am sleep deprived, i just have to keep moving….the second i sit still i will start to fall asleep!
I plug the children in and doze in the chair. Bad momma I know, but there are days when my migraines take over & I can’t do anything but press play on the VCR or tell them to switch remotes on the Wii. Hang in there mama!
Oh I agree with that. Not a bad momma. Its not every day and some days things just have to happen.
Caffiene all the way when I am sleeped deprived. And I also try to eat healthy all day. oh and apparently what I found out is an apple gives you more energy than caffiene does…so I would add those to the mix!!
Those days aren’t fun but they are definitely only temporary…I think thats the only way we get through them because tomorrow is a new day!
Awwww, sorry about the sleep-deprivation! Never fun. 🙁
That was me yesterday (and today, I guess). I had to get up early to be at church, and I was so.tired. I was at church from just before 8 until about 12:45 or 1, and then went back to church just before 2 to go to a youth group thing. We left there about 7:30 and I got home just before 8:30. And then I didn’t go to bed ’til midnight. Oops.
I spent my time at the “party” eating (mostly junk), reading Proverbs (catching up, since I’d missed the last four days…) & a couple chapters of another devotional book, chatting with a couple of girls, and watching Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I was tired, but I wasn’t going to try to take a nap in my 45-minute break between church and church, and I didn’t think I was going to be able to sleep with all the noise at the “party”—although I did manage to watch the movie without yelling at anyone to shut up, which was kind of miraculous!
Caffeine doesn’t work for me. 🙁 Sugar and caffeine just seem to make me more sleepy. And while I love the smell of coffee, I can’t drink it. And I don’t drink much pop, either.
Cold works. Cold air, cold water… yeah. I try those when I need to stay awake.
honestly, when i’m sleep deprived and can’t nap i become a pretty miserable person to be around. i also drink coffee, end up overeating, and likely crying. haha, i guess i don’t cope very well!
Oh bummer! Here’s to hoping for a nap today! I definitely turn to caffeine and go in a walk…otherwise I’m screwed!
You can do it! When I am sleep deprived, I get sick–like REALLY sick, cry, and feel very, very depressed. Soooo I try to maintain a regular sleep schedule!
Aww I’m sorry you’ve had a rough few nights!
When I’m really sleep-deprived at work I try really hard to eat healthy foods (bananas, lots of protein, etc) even though I tend to crave the worst when I’m tired.
When I feel myself dozing I’ll drink some coffee, try to let myself relax/semi-nap for 20 minutes then get up and walk around. There’s something about relaxing for the 20 minutes while the coffee sets in then being active that helps make me feel a little more awake.
This too shall pass! 🙂
I turn on my favorite songs and sing. 🙂 It usually makes me feel better.
I’m sorry you’re sleep-deprived. I know what you’re going through. My youngest (now 3 1/2) didn’t sleep through the night for the first TWO YEARS. And right after he started sleeping through the night, he stopped taking naps. It’s funny now, but it wasn’t at the time.
I drank coffee every morning and a ponytail was part of my mom “uniform”. 🙂
Awww, girl, I’m so sorry!!!! I hope he turns back into a good sleeper again soon!!!
I definitely turn to caffeine…such an effective (though definitely temporary, ha) fix!
We are in the same boat today Tina. We are going on almost no sleep from this past weekend. Caffeine is a must and I feel like I use food as fuel too when I am over tired. Meaning I am way hungrier on super sleepy days.
I gotta say ,the sheer fact that you posted not just a blog but a blog WITH a picture in your sleep-deprived state? You’re a better woman than me!! 😉
I’m sorry Braedon is having trouble sleeping! I hope it gets better soon for you. If all else fails, run in place (extra endorphins can’t hurt right), and pray, pray a lot. Feel free to call if you need anything
Tina, I’m sorry you’ve had these rough nights. It’s so hard to function without enough sleep, and to be the kind and patient mama you strive to be. (Speaking from my experience, not saying you aren’t kind and patient.)
Is there any chance you can time your daughter’s t.v. show with nursing your baby and sort of doze right there with your children? I remember falling asleep while nursing, though I hadn’t actually set out to do so. I was just so tired…
Barring an actual nap, I agree that upbeat music helps. And if I am super tired but can’t sleep, it’s easier for me to keep moving than to sit down. Once I sit down, it’s much harder to keep my eyes open. I hope you get some better nights of sleep!
She does have her TV time during one of his feedings which helps so much. Too bad I am a TERRIBLE napper. I seriously cannot nap…and a lot of times when I do I wake up feeling more tired. I hate that!
That is so hard. I was more likely to doze off on the couch than if I’d actually try to take a nap.
I am a caffeine fiend when I can’t catch a break! I hope you have a good day!
i hope you get better rest tonight 🙁 “it will pass”: words i live by when things get tough
When I’m super sleep deprived I have to try to stay busy or else my brain fog gets the best of me! Working behind a computer all day makes it hard to be up and busy unfortunately, but in that case I just make sure to take some rest breaks, get up and love on the dogs, do a sun salutation or two… anything to break the blahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh cycle! I hope your day goes smoothly for you!
I agree with keeping busy and moving. It helps me a ton.
Being sleep deprived is just no picnic, I try to just power through the day. Sometimes caffeine but I do add in extra fruits and veggies to give me more energy. Even a quick walk around the block, office or building helps.
so funny, Tina.. I just posted about my sleep deprivation with MY new (puppy) baby!
I turn on the TV and and try to snuggle to get as much “rest” as possible. 🙂
Green monster all the way! I find they usually help me to feel more alert, especially when I add maca root powder. I try to push through if I know I can’t nap, and make an effort not to overbook my weekend so I can (hopefully) catch up on rest then. Hope you can too! 🙂
I loved your guest post! Thank you for sharing!
So sorry girl! Lots of water and fruit is usually my solution.
U are too cute! Your sleep deprived but still got that smile on your face! love it!
I need lots of coffee when sleep deprived ; p
I know its tough right now, I remember those sleepless times when my son was little , its all worth it : ) xoxo
Being sleep deprived is the worst 🙁 Hang in there!! Hopefully more rest is in store for you soon.
Low sleep = Coke Zero. My dirty little habit is in full force when I’m really tired!!
I think I would choose Coke Zero over coffee. Carbonation gives a little extra perk.
Oh that stinks! I don’t have kids, but when I was on night shift, I was miserable. I don’t know how people can live on 3-4 hours of sleep a night for years at a time! I found that drinking lots of water helped. Sparkling water was fun, too, since the bubbles perk you up!
Ooph, momma, I feel for you. I know those nights so well myself.
I can say that I love your attitude about it all…it’s very selfless! When I’m deprived…I pass out with the kids in their beds. 🙂
oh the joys of being a Mother to a newborn babe! So sorry you’re lacking in the sleep department right now Momma. Hope you can squeeze in some ample shut eye tonight. xoxo
Oh Tina! I hope tonight brings your a good amount of slumber 🙁 One night’s bad enough – let alone two in a row.
Sorry about the lack of sleep! It’s the worst.
Usually I end up strung out on coffee and powering through… I hope maybe you can catch a few minutes rest at some point today?
Sorry you’re so sleep deprived! I love that you turn to God when you are running short on patience, though! 🙂
It’s many times the only thing that can calm me down. I get a little emotional and crazy when tired. Description already set for tonight’s post.
I’m right there with you.
Man, I do not miss those days. There was one night I was up every hour nursing Aiden, finally got him to sleep at 6am, and then my 3 year old and 5 year old woke up around 7 to start their day. You’re right, it does pass, but those days are so very hard. You can do it mama!!!
Two things I can recommend: stay hydrated and eat bananas. I don’t know what it is about those two things, but they are what got me through summers of working 2 jobs and 19 credit semesters of undergrad. Also, I turn to some kind of affirmation, like you seem to be doing with your bible. Mine was always a song of the moment, and even if I couldn’t listen to it I would sing the lyrics to myself.
Hang in there, I know you can do this! 🙂
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Love your honesty… hope you can catch up on some z’s tonight!
LOVE the links at the top – those 3 butt burners are great – i’d never done the middle one! And the Indian soup looks awesome – love that it has all of that spinach in it!
I go to bed early the next night and don’t feel guilty about it. That might not be an option w/a newborn 🙁 I don’t know how mothers do it!
I think we will be hitting the hay earlier tonight. I’m feeding him right now before putting him to bed and I don’t think we will be far behind. LOL
Hang in there honey! I know you are being supermom!!