Dear Chakra Lady,

I am a single mother of two boys and run my own at-home business. Since the birth of my second son, he just turned 4, I haven’t been able to sleep like I could before.

My days are full with work, errands, keeping up with stuff around the house, helping my aging parents to doctor’s appointments, etc., and taking care of my boys but even though I feel very tired at the end of the day, my body feels restless and I find it hard to relax enough to fall asleep. And sometimes when I can get to sleep, it's only to wake up an hour or two later.

I used to be able to manage it okay but it’s starting to catch up with me. Any suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.

Dog Tired

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Dear Dog Tired,

Lack of sleep is an issue for many in this time of multi-tasking and attempting to keep up with our own worlds. The one thing that many of us need to understand is that each of us must come first in our lives. Your family and loved ones can certainly play a close second and third but when we do not put ourselves first we allow our batteries to run low, so to speak. Sleep is a time when our bodies restore, repair and re-energize and it is crucial to our well being.

Here are a few quick tips you can begin with:

1. If you are watching the news before bedtime, stop. When we are tired our subconscious is very suggestible and feeding in all the negative information can play havoc on your sleep.

2. Try some soft music or guided meditations. They are available free online and some play for up to eight hours, giving your mind something else to focus on rather than your day to day concerns.

3. Live in the now and, as much as possible, try not to overtax your mind with all the million things you have to do. Remember, one thing at a time and everything else will fall into place.

4. Stay away from sleep agents as many do not allow you to fall into a Delta and/or R.E.M. sleep, meaning you cannot get as deep as you need for proper sleep and restoration to happen; not to mention they can be addictive allowing your subconscious to believe it can't sleep without them.

5. Use essential oils such as Lavender, Vetiver, Frankincense and Myrrh in your diffuser - either alone or in combination, a drop of each.

6. Consider seeking hypnosis and self limiting belief change to help you reprogram you for sleep.

7. Once in bed, do some deep breathing, focusing only on your breath. If thoughts come in your mind, simply accept them, thank them for coming and let them know you will be happy to deal with them in the morning.

Remember, we all have responsibilities in this world but you need to take time for yourself and put things in your schedule to do for yourself. Get your nails done, get a massage or just take a walk with some music playing.

When you are feeling happy and healthy, you are a better mother, a better daughter, a better friend and better at any other roles you take on.

Be as kind to yourself as you are to those around you. You matter!

The Chakra Lady

Ayse Hogan is the owner and facilitator at the Chakra House of Healing in Southampton. Send your letters to chakralady@saugeenshoreshub.ca.

All advice offered here is provided for information only and should not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this article. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well being.