Time Out For Moms: The Benefits of Rest
“The early bird gets the worm.” “If you snooze you lose…” Mothers not only deserve time to rest, but absolutely need it. There are numerous benefits of rest.
Rest is a fundamental biological need for the body to recover.
Below we’ll answer the following questions: Why is it so important for mothers to be well rested? What are the specific benefits of rest during motherhood? And how can I establish a rest routine for myself?
The importance of good rest
While you may be the happiest and luckiest woman in the world when you see your beautiful little baby, certainly you’ll feel much differently if you can’t battle exhaustion.
You don’t have time. You give everything to your baby, who doesn’t seem to be a fan of naps and resting. Between breastfeeding, putting them to bed, using a pacifier and bottle, respecting sleep routines and using other gadgets, you didn’t have luck getting them to nap.
Crying, diapers, fights, toys, cooking, and helping your child with their homework are only part of the picture. That’s why moms need at least five short minutes of rest to “charge their batteries,” especially when their child is being difficult.
Rest allows us to recoup energy lost through various activities during the day. Experts say that various phenomena occur during sleep, including:
- Allowing hormones to recalibrate
- Development of the immune system
- Preventing tiredness from affecting your patience, tolerance, and treatment of your child
- Maintaining brain health
- Forming part of the biology of every tissue and organ in our body
Benefits of rest
There are numerous important benefits of rest for both children and mothers. Pay attention to the following ideas that may surprise you:
- Weight loss. Lack of sleep causes hunger because it diminishes the hormones that cause fullness. It also affects your dietary choices, leaning towards sugary and carb-laden foods. Would you like to show off a more slender figure? Then rest!
- Improves your mood. You don’t need to be a specialist to figure out that your child is tired because they are grumpy or irritated. It works the same way for adults. So if you didn’t sleep well last night, be sure to rest and wake up in a better mood.
- Contributes to your health. Lack of sleep increases blood pressure and weakens the immune system. That’s why avoiding taking naps has a correlation with all kinds of illnesses.
- Helps your memory. A daily dose of rest improves brain function and better retention of information learned during the day. Also, it wakes up your creativity because the brain makes remote associations and connections. These thoughts are great for your imagination.
- Guarantees sexual pleasure. Another great benefit of enjoying a good night of rest is an increase in testosterone. If your testosterone levels are too low, it can decrease your libido. Libido is always a good thing for a couple’s wellbeing, right?
Establish a routine for your rest
For mothers to be able to get the benefits of rest, it is a good idea to establish a sleep routine. This will help you and your baby, and you might find it mutually beneficial.
Pay attention to how important it is to have a few minutes to yourself. Here are some ways to do so:
- Take naps while your baby is napping. This way you will be able to incorporate naps during the day. Don’t worry about the household chores, the dishes and cleaning the house. They can wait until you have gotten a little rest.
- Consider using a bottle. You don’t have to force your baby to drink formula or have cereal and milk, but continue to offer them breastmilk. This time, you can try to incorporate your own milk into the bottle and have it ready for your partner or another family member. They can feed the baby if you want to rest for longer. Be sure to ask for help to catch up on sleep.
- Create a favorable environment. You should make a nest wherever it is possible to relax. You can use a clean and dark bedroom with soft music.