How do you deal with tiredness?

[cupcake78]

Ds is 6 and a bad sleeper. Early riser (up at 6 every day inc weekends) and wakes most nights. He's at school during the day. Dd 12 weeks and although she's a good sleeper she's a late settler and is still up for feeds. She doesn't sleep much during the day longest nap is 20mins, no routine yet.

Dh works long hours. He helps with nights but I never sleep properly because I'm always listening out.

I'm not good when I'm tired! I find I can't cope with anxiety and stresses well and end up crying and getting overly emotional over everything.

I'm going to have to go back to work soon. I have a highly emotional stressful job which is not easy when Im tired.

How do you cope with sleep deprivation and being overly emotional?

Ds does stay with grandparents from time to time but dh likes to see him as he works so hard during the week.

Anyone?

Ah I can empathise. Ds1 is nearly 5yo and still up once or twice a night - if I don't get up to take him to the toilet then he bangs into walls and gets upset, and dd2 11mo is currently sleeping badly at night and then up from 5.30am every day. Dh is a surgeon so needs his sleep and can't get up at night - he doesn't wake up anyway, whereas like you I hear every sound they make. I survive by drinking a lot of coffee alternating a lie in at weekends with dh - I sleep in Saturday mornings, he gets to sleep in Sunday mornings. I always feel dreadful first thing in the morning, emotional and exhausted and wondering how I'll get through the day, but usually I'm feeling better after my first vat of coffee the school run. My body seems to be able to cope better for the rest of the day. If it has been an epic bad nighter then I'll go back to bed when dd2 has her morning nap after the school run, but she usually sleeps for around an hour then - 20 minutes is trickier, if that's all your lo is napping for right now, although that will likely get longer soon as she gets a bit bigger and starts to form a bit more of a routine. If dh is happy to do some getting up at night for you, can you pick the occasional night for him to do that and you go to sleep with earplugs in? If you just do that one night a week it's amazing what a single good night's sleep can do for restoring your mental wellbeing at least, I think - trying to remember back to 2007 You can always do the same for him another night. And can you each have a lie in at the weekend? Failing all that - coffee. All the best.

Hello, sleep deprevation is a killer isn't it? I've a 2.6 year old (pretty good sleeper these days but has been awful) and a 5 month old who is up 2 or 3 times a night so I'm pretty knackered and generally feel quite frazzled. I've gone through phases of having panic attacks in the past so started freaking out when I started feeling quite anxious a few weeks ago, which I'm sure is due to lack of sleep. I can get an extra hour in bed about once a week, which helps a bit but what really helps me is I've started going swimming once a week in the evening. I just swim up & down for 20-30 mins in a daze and then have a nice shower, wash my hair & put body lotion on (never have time to do that at home). I just find having an hour or so when I can totally switch off & I'm not responsible for any children so relaxing and restorative.

I think you just get to a point of chronic tiredness. DS1 is 6 and likes to go to sleep late wake up late. Ds2 (5) is an early riser. I work shifts into the bargain as does DH (both nhs) so have been known to do a nightshift after about 3hrs sleep and be physically vomiting with exhaustion.

Tips: sleep when you can even its it dozing with one eye open whilst cbeebies is on. Go to bed when they do at so you get sleep from 8- whenever the first wakeup is. I avoid caffeine/sugar in the evenings as it makes any sleep I get restless. Every couple of months it catches up and I get cold/shivery and crash for 10hrs.

It does get easier - school tires them out

Go to bed early. Get your PJs on at 9pm then up to bed. Broken sleep is manageable as long as you get enough hours.