This Mom of Four Was Running on No Sleep—These 5 Healthy Bedtime Habits Changed Everything

It’s so important that moms get their 8-hours of shuteye a night just as much as the kids but for all those parents reading this, we all know that our children often have other plans. Our relationship with sleep shifts dramatically after we give birth. Just ask Taryn Newton. The digital storyteller, finance guru, affordable stylist, and mom of four— Cameron (13), Calvin (6), Cyrus (2), and Cash, 4 months—certainly has her work cut out for her.

“I try to get as much as sleep as possible but with a young baby, it is not always the easiest,” she explains. “I value sleep but working a 9-5 and having my blog, I’ve realized I cannot do both properly, and in a month I’m depleted and running on no sleep.” To ensure that doesn’t happen, Newton has put strict boundaries in place to get as much sleep as she can (when the baby allows, of course). “I have a set bedtime that I follow no matter if I want to keep doing other things,” she continues. “I shut it down so I can get my rest and be ready for the next day.”

This bedtime routine also applies to her boys and thanks to their new Purple kid’s mattress, when they go to sleep, they stay asleep. “Let me just say this, when the boys switched to Purple mattresses they have been getting out of bed less,” says Newton. “ I definitely think it impacts their sleep. Comfortable mattresses aid longer sleep cycles.”

Read on to learn more about their experience with the new Purple kid’s mattress, Newton’s nightstand must-haves, and her top five healthy bedtime habits—grab a pen, you’ll want to write them down!

Sleep, or lack of it, can contribute to many health concerns including mental health, productivity, weight, immunity—the list goes on! Getting good sleep is all about how you wind down before bed. Can you share your nighttime routine or pre-sleep ritual and how that sets you up for sleep success? Why does this enhance a more restful night’s sleep? 

Every night after the boys go to bed, I go through emails, then I will drink my nighttime tea, typically watch a show with the hubby, then do my skincare routine.  It’s helped me just relax after a long day and also gives me time to connect with the hubby.

What are your nightstand must-haves for a good night’s sleep?

Our Alexa Show, night light, glass of lemon water, and a rice cake. I am sure you are wondering why the rice cake. Well. I am also on the journey to be the best version of myself and trying to lose weight that I gained during pregnancy.  Well, when I am up with the baby in the middle of the night I found myself snacking. So you will likely see some form of rice cake by the bed.  

What are your hacks for getting through the day after a bad night’s sleep?

First, sometimes when you are exhausted it can be difficult to keep focused.  Grab some tea or coffee to help rejuvenate yourself and take your daily vitamins. Then I write out my to-do list to help me stay focused with the day. Additionally, on days that I had a rough night previously, I will make a crockpot meal that is easy so it’s one last thing to remember.

What does your kid/s sleep ritual look like? Can you share the challenges of getting your kids into a healthy sleep routine—what’s worked/what hasn’t? 

My tips to help have healthy bedtime habits are:

• Have children go to bed at the same time every night.
  Establishing a set time helps our kids wind down and start mentally preparing for sleep.

• Create a bedtime routine.
  After shutting down electronics, we bathe the boys and then dedicate about 20 minutes to reading. We allow the boys to also do one Amazon Kids bedtime story after we read together. It turns off at the end of the story so the boys know it’s time to go to sleep. 

• Invest in comfort and sleep-time support.
  We have been sleeping with Purple mattresses since early 2019. It started with our master bed. It used to take me a long time to get to bed and I instantly felt like it was easier to get to bed and stay asleep. At the time my mother was living with me, and she had been having back pain. We decided to swap hers out, and she hasn’t complained about her back since. That convinced us to swap out the boys’ mattress because we felt that it would help our boys sleep better. Cyrus wakes up a lot in the middle of the night and we wanted to try giving him a better mattress. Since making the swap the boys have slept noticeably better. I realized that you have to invest in your sleep. Now our entire family is Purple and I try to convince all our friends and family to make the switch, too.

• Shut down electronics.
  We make sure to turn off the kids' screens to allow their minds to slow down and prepare for the end of the day. We try to turn it off about one hour at least before bedtime. The last thing we need is for our boys to be still thinking about a Fortnite battle when trying to go to bed.

• Get the kids to bed early.
  For us, being so busy, it can be difficult to get them to bed at a decent hour. Sometimes they were going to bed after 10 pm. We started being really intentional about sticking with a schedule. The younger boys go to bed at 8:30 pm and Cameron is in bed at 9:00 pm and sleeps by 9:30 pm.

Can you recommend any books that helped?

We let the boys pick a different book to read each night.

How much have your sleep patterns and rituals changed since quarantine? Why?

The boy’s schedule definitely got thrown off. They started going to bed late and sleeping in. We have gradually started migrating back to normal before school started.

Now, your favorite mattress brand, Purple just launched for kids and yours have been testing it. What were your kid/s first impressions—how has it enhanced their sleep, what changes have you noticed, would you recommend it—tell us everything!

Definitely, the boys have been loving it. I would say the biggest shown change is in our toddler Cyrus. He was previously sleeping on a crib mattress and getting up multiple times per night. He is now sleeping without waking up. 

How are you teaching your children about the importance of sleep hygiene and rituals for a good night’s sleep? Can you recommend any books?

We first lead by example. We show our kids good sleeping habits by having a regime for ourselves and not staying up late. We also have our boys on a nighttime routine.  

What advice do you have for sleep-deprived parents reading this who are struggling to find a routine that sticks and gets their kids into a routine?

First off, you are not alone. I am currently in the thick of it. Hang in there! Remember to stay consistent. Once we stayed consistent every night, the boys started moving at our rhythm. 

Sentence finishers:

When I make time for self-care, I… watch reruns of The Office with popcorn, curled under my favorite blanket.

My go-to tip for a good night’s sleep is ... a nice long shower and a cozy blanket.

If there were more hours in the day I would… write a book.

Moms know best because… we have lived and learned.

A good night’s sleep feels like… a Christmas miracle.

I’d give up sweets for an uninterrupted 8 hours of sleep. 

The silliest thing I’ve done while sleep deprived is… go all day and think it was Tuesday when it really was Wednesday.

Click here to learn more from other moms on their sleep tips, nighttime routine, and experience with the new Purple Kid's Mattress.

MORE FROM THE BLOG