Tuesday, May 14, 2013

More Sleep with Early Rising Kids

So this isn't really just our secret...my sister tipped me off to it.  You can read her blog at Just B.  She has a little guy who is an early riser like my boys.  One advantage is that he is 2 years older so she learns things and passes them onto me.  She also passes his clothes onto us but that's another story.
What we want!

Sleep is crucial to so many body functions.  It keeps you sane.  It helps you're immune system.  It helps your body heal.  It restores strength for the new day ahead.  It reduces stress. The list could go on and on.

Now if you have kids...you know sleep deprivation comes with the territory right?  My kids have not been "good" sleepers when they were younger.  My oldest had allergy issues that we didn't figure out until he was 14 months old.  By that point he was used to waking up frequently.  Combine that with teething (which was difficult for him) and the birth of our second child and I really didn't sleep for a long time.

What we get!
As Superhero #1 grew he began to sleep better but there were times he would wake up so early.  I couldn't figure out why he wouldn't fall back to sleep.  My sister gave me one of her tips that she learned from a friend with diabetes but of course after awhile I forgot.

Fast forward to last week.  Both of my boys were waking up early!  The one was waking up every day at roughly 2:30 a.m.  and the other was waking at about 6 a.m.  The one would be awake for awhile with me and finally collapse into sleep (with me passing out by their side in our guest bed).  The other would come in at 6 a.m. and ask if he could get up and I would try to fall back to sleep for awhile.

The red rocking chair where I was spending my nights

This was becoming unproductive for all of us.  The entire household was becoming progressively more tired and as a result a bit more on edge.  My sister had just returned from her trip to Haiti (to see the little girl she's adopting) and was commenting on how her son was waking up super early when she was gone.  She had forgotten to tell our parents her trick to getting him to sleep in a bit more.  AHA!  I REMEMBERED HER TIP!

Tiredness in the home from way back when
So last night, after a week of sleep deprivation and a 5 year old that was getting pretty crabby, weepy, and emotional...I gave them...(INSERT DRUM ROLL HERE) a protein and carb before bedtime.  The protein is the key to keep them from having a blood sugar level drop right before morning.  This drop in  blood sugar causes a person to awake and not be able to fall back to sleep even though they need more sleep.  So did it work?  Superhero #2 woke up once (to sleep with me) and then was back to sleep until 8 a.m.!  Superhero #1 who was previously waking up at 6 a.m. is still sleeping and it's 9 a.m.!!!!  I did the same as the boys and I slept better too!

Raring to go!
Some Carb/Protein combinations for kids...
  1. Celery sticks with nut or seed butter and raisins or dried fruit
  2. Banana with nut or seed butter
  3. Paleo or sprouted grain bread with nut/seed butter
  4. boiled egg and fruit (our favorite)
  5. Dried fruit and nuts (trail mix)
  6. Uncured lunch meat and cheese rolled up with a side of favorite fruit
  7. Nut granola with milk and fruit 
  8. Yogurt with nut granola or chopped nuts/seeds
  9. Meat & cheese on Nut Thins or paleo crackers
  10. Hummus with veggies (carrots are carbs)


Sure, I missed going to the gym since I don't set an alarm when I'm sleeping with my little guys.  But ALL OF US slept more!  Thank you Jesus!  Literally!  May peace be restored to the home!

Try it out...see if it helps and let me know!  My Handsome Hubby and I are happy with the result!

Check out my guest post on Modern Alternative Health today...it's sharing a little bit on how to create a garden tailored for your family and your space.  Gardening Tailored for You

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