How Much Sleep Does a Mom Need?
I am incredibly protective of my children’s bedtime, but I don’t watch my own bed time at all. I have not gotten a good full night’s sleep in over six months. My breastfeeding 6-month-old boy is still waking up 2 to 3 times a night to nurse. Before that I was hugely pregnant and didn’t sleep well with all that kicking and heartburn. Sometimes I really believe that it is God’s grace that keeps me going. Many nights I only sleep about 6 hours.
It is incredibly tempting to stay up late after the kids go to bed. This is my time. I can watch what I want on television, hang with my husband, get online without interruptions, read, clean or go out with friends. I LOVE the night time!
I have also recently started training for a marathon. I have to get up around 6:15 a.m. and get my miles done first thing in the morning, because of the hot weather and our family’s schedule. My husband takes care of the kids when they wake up, but I still need to get back quickly. My baby boy needs to nurse and my husband has to get to work when I get back. I try to get bed early the night before a long run, but even then I find myself staying up reading a book.
I know I need more sleep, but I don’t do anything about it. I love that I get to stay at home with my kids and can move slowly in the morning if I need to. Somehow I recover the next day. I get dressed and get done what I need to do without complaining. I am the one who chose not to go to sleep. My son goes to sleep at 7:00 p.m. So even though he still wake up 3 times a night, I have no excuse not to get to bed at a decent hour.
Perhaps I can just function on little sleep. I think a lot of moms do. The amount of sleep I get is something I have been thinking about this week. What do you think? Can you function on little sleep? Do you notice a difference in your attitude if you do get better sleep? How much sleep do you really need to function well the next day?
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I have lived on so little sleep for almost 5 years that I hardly remember what it feels like to be rested!!! The least amount of sleep that I can “function” on is 3 hours… but I really need 5 to be alive and not monster-mom!!! The two nights recently that both kids slept until 730 were heavenly!!! Of course, those were the nights I didn’t go to be until after midnight, but 6-7 hours was AWESOME!!!!
I need eight hours to function well. Preferably nine. Six or seven is doable, but only if I get a nap in the afternoon. I was the same way in college and high school. I could never pull all-nighters like some of my friends could. I have tried. Really, I have!
I am just like you, Amanda, and I do fine with 6 or 7. But 8 is nice. I haven’t slept more than that in many years. Hubby slept 11 hours last Saturday and I don’t think my back could handle that. Like you, I’d rather do stuff late at night than sleep.
I am like Sharon. I definitely like my sleep! I can do 6 hours but I am really sleepy all day. My little man goes to bed between 6-7 and wakes up 2-3x and will wake up for good betwen 8-9am. So I can go to bed at midnight and expect 7-8 hours total of sleep but I still am very sleepy. Everyday I tell myself, “Okay I am going to go to bed within an hour or so after Ryan goes to sleep.” Never happens.. I wonder why? Maybe the free time is too tempting!
I need 8 hours to feel like a normal person. I can do seven but I feel it later. If I have a night where I get less sleep than I prefer I do better if I have something “fun” to do the next day. An outing with the kids, meeting a friend etc. Otherwise, staying cooped up at home makes me more tired.
Once the boys go to bed around 9, I get my work/computer time. So that puts me getting to bed around midnight. Then we’re up around 7.
The 7 hours of sleep isn’t nearly enough for me, but it’s all I can seem to get these days…
I’m definitely a ‘good sleeper.’ LOL, I try to get at least 8 hours in every night while my kiddos get closer to 9 or 10. I can go off of 6-7 hours but to feel fully rested I need about 8.
Lovin’ this blog! Keep up the good work!
I need 7 hours of sleep a night to feel normal. I’m also training for a marathon right now and find any less sleep makes my workouts harder and my patience low. I prefer 8 hours, can live with 6, but 7 is my magic number.
@Katie – Its good to see ya here.
How long ago did you change blogs? Which marathon are you doing? How many weeks of training do you have left? That is awesome. Congrats on your training!
@Amanda – I’ve always had the family blog, but dropped Mighty Munchkin maybe 6 or 7 months ago. It was just too much. I’m running the BayState Marathon in Mass on October 18. So I have just one month and 2 days! I’m really excited. I ran it last year and had a great time. My mom will actually be running it too. And I’ve met a few local running moms that are running it as well.
How about you? What marathon are you training for?