Can I have your top tips for survuving ion very little sleep?

[nickytwotimes]

DS is 2.5, always been a good sleeper, but he has been ill or teething for about 3 months and his sleep at night is getting progressively worse. He is able to slef settle normally and like his sleep, but is uncomfortable and restless most nights.

I am not looking fo rsolutions to this atm - it is a phase and will pass - but I need your tips on how to get thorough without going nuts - I am under a lot of stress and strain righ tnow. He doesn't nap, btw.

Many thanks!

Coffee and fresh air. Somehow the lack of sleep seems less awful when outside. Failing that, snuggle on sofa and stick the tv on and chill.

Its called Pro Plus washed down with RedBull

And early nights too.

Dh is a snorer I wouldn't get through a day without several large strong coffees and a bottle of RedBull.

Exercise. I know it seems counter-intuitive, but for me, in the months when dd was a terrible sleeper, it was the next best thing to sleep.

Yeah, no caffeine at all if possible, lots of water and fresh fruit, and lots of exercise. Avoid sugar, avoid white carb.

A sunrise simulator alarm clock

THE BEST THING I HAVE EVER BOUGHT

Fantastic tips and so fast!
Obviously it's a very common situation...

Avoid sugar! Eek!

sunrise simulator?

Avoiding sugar is hard, because (personally) I want sugar when I'm tired, as it gives me a little boost ... but there's always a nasty crash soon afterwards, so it's not worth it.

honestly, exercise! It will be absolutely the last thing you feel like doing, but the endorphins kick in and afterwards you will feel recharged.

It's kept me going and until the last few nights I could count the number of stretches of sleep longer than 4 hours on two fingers

since ds was born 10 months ago....

This is gonna sound all lentil-weavery and almost patronising... but one of the things I have learnt after 3 bad sleepers is... you just have to accept tiredness and stop fighting it. If I do, I stop being resistant to it and feel happier.

I have to have little talks to myself that go like this: 'oh why am i so tired, I can't cope. Well, he's only a baby. It's not forever. Yes but other people's babies sleep ... But this is how it is...'

I get through by thinking how short a time I'll be able to cuddle them in the night and how very quickly they'll be big and off in the world. And having 10 minute power naps where possible.

When you are up in the small hours don't look at the clock thinking 'Sh*t I have to be up in X hours and X minutes". Don't look at the clock at all!

Avoid alcohol. Boring, but I always feel completely shattered if I have a drink in the evenings nowadays.

Agree with Wilfsell, but also get some help so you can grab some sleep!

WE have to do shifts too when it gets really bad. you have to prioritise sleep over time with the DH if there is one! One of you go to bed really early, the other have the morning lie in (even if that's only till 6 oclock!)

slap on some cold (ie from fridge) E45.

Perked me up....for a bit

It helps me if I make a note with a rough plan of what I'm going to do the next day, the evening before. No sleep = no brain in my case. The note helps me keep a bit of structure and avoid that hellish drifting aimlessly feeling where nothing seems to get done. Also, loud uplifting music on my ipod!

Exercise and, like Wilf said, acceptance.

Fighting it, telling youreself it's not fair etc just put me in a state of despair.

Speaking as someone that is still only getting 4 hour stints of sleep now DS is almost 3 (and DC2 is due in 8 weeks...).

Oh, and forget housework, use lists as necessary (especially if you're at work) and find some decent concealer!

Thanks for all the marvellous tips.
I have found that if I don't fixate on the lack of sleep thing it is not so bad.
The last few nights he has only woken once and settled again very fast, so hopefully he will return to his old sleeping habits sometime soon.

yes, like Smittals, I write EVERYTHING down. Um... fresh air yes, allowing yourself a slump time at 4pmish where you have tea and a doughnut in front of a dvd.
say yes to most things with dc and pretend to be a super-fab chirpy mummy (on here, great tip to pretend there is a TV crew filming you for a doc on parenting .
go to bed early.
or DO something with your evening rather than piss about on mumsnet watch telly.

(off to follow own advice)