Stress reduces one’s quality of life. It can make you irritable, intolerable and it can also be the cause of some diseases. All parents, therefore, need to find a way of being able to keep all their affairs in order without breaking down due to stress. Explained below are five tips that help parents to stay stress-free.
Get Enough Sleep
As a parent, especially one with young kids, it is no secret that you are deprived of sleep. From early mornings with busy toddlers to late nights with restless babies, it can almost seem impossible to every catch up on sleep. However, with scheduling your day to allow more sleep, you will be able to see the benefits of adding a few extra hours. Not only will you have more energy and stamina during the day, but you’ll be able to spend time with your kids without wishing you were back in bed. Don’t underestimate the importance of sleep, especially when you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed as a parent.
Simplify Your Life
According to Susan Stiffelman, we parents tend to take on more than they can handle. We say yes even when we know we want to say no. Where this behavior gets us is a diary full of activities and stuff we did not want to commit to in the first place. Trying to juggle all of them leaves us feeling weary both mentally and physically.
Simplifying your life is as easy as it sounds. Identify what your priorities are and put them at the top of things you have to do. Also, learn to say no, and you will not find yourself at some community function you never wanted to be at in the first place.
Seek Professional Help
A coping strategy can help you on numerous occasions when it occurs to you that you are stressed out. There are, however, times when even these strategies fail to work, and you find yourself wondering where you are going wrong. First of all, accept that you are human, and mistakes are just but part of our lives. The second step to getting better is accepting that you need help. It could be a family member, a friend, or even professional help. Therapy has been made to seem a bad thing that no one should ever talk about in public, but there is nothing wrong with seeking professional help. What matters is being able to cope with whatever is stressing you and not letting it interfere with your life. Thanks to the internet you can easily access help from an easy online therapist in the comfort of your home.
Make Time for Yourself
There is nothing as important as self-love. You cannot be able to show your children and spouse love if you do not love yourself. The easiest way to love yourself is by spending some time alone. According to Psychology Today, a break for yourself is not only healthy for you but also beneficial for your family. When you make time for yourself, you will be able to clear your mind and put things into perspective. Some alone time also enables you to relax your body and mind.
Get Support
Raising children is an endless task as new things are always cropping up. One of your kids may be having a game while another one has a musical at the same time. You cannot split yourself in two. You should have a network of trustworthy people whom you can lean on and can help at such times. Such people can also help to look after your kids when you need a break or have other things to attend to.
Practice Some Self-Care
While your kids are your number one priority, it’s important to take care of yourself as well. Consider doing a self-care night once a week and treat yourself to some quality skincare or hair care products such as Hims or Roman. Taking time to yourself to relax and splurge on yourself, will not only help you relieve stress but feel more happy and confident. You should never feel guilty for taking time out of your busy day to spoil yourself, you’ve earned it!
Learn your Stress Signs
Everyone has a specific way of reacting to stress. According to this article, common stress signs include spiked heart rate, lapses in judgment, irritability, yelling, or rising blood pressure. Once you identify your stress sign, you will be able to keep yourself in check. Such behavior can affect your kids adversely, so once you realize you are stressed, and it is affecting you and your family, find a way of dealing with it.
Conclusion
Understanding yourself is essential when it comes to managing stress. Children tend to pick up on their parent’s behavior, so if you do not find a way of dealing with the stress they will end up being affected. Try practicing the tips explained above and you will be okay.
While the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends to never co-sleep with your infant, some studies have suggested that the risks may not be as high as previously believed.
Some parents compromise by placing a “Moses” basket between themselves to ensure their baby is safe during the night. If you have a bassinet that attaches to the bed, enjoy the perks of co-sleeping without the risks and simply scoop baby up to feed and back to bed without ever leaving your own.
More than anything else, remember this time is temporary. In 6-8 weeks, your baby sleep on a better schedule. For me, the day Junior started sleeping 3 hours at a time was when I started to feel like myself again. I tried every single trick in the book. that you can read in my blog.
I had a few nights of total insomnia, on the brink of becoming a sleep disorder. If you worry that you may be developing a sleep disorder, it is vital to contact a nearby sleep clinic as soon as possible and schedule a consultation or sleep study. If you live in Alaska, the experts here at Alaska Sleep Clinic are more than capable of assessing your case and providing valuable recommendations to correct any sleep issues you are experiencing. Call for a quick 10-minute consultation and start reaping the rewards of sleep today.
