{"id":8190,"date":"2024-10-08T19:35:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-08T08:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/?p=8190"},"modified":"2024-08-20T23:35:51","modified_gmt":"2024-08-20T13:35:51","slug":"surviving-sleep-deprivation-exercise-tips-for-exhausted-mums","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/surviving-sleep-deprivation-exercise-tips-for-exhausted-mums\/","title":{"rendered":"Surviving Sleep Deprivation: Essential Exercise Tips for Exhausted Mums"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by louise hurley, MumSafeTM TRAINER OF THE YEAR 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you ever feel that being tired is your default state? My babies are now six and nine and it still feels like a long time since I\u2019ve had an unbroken block of eight hours. In this article, I\u2019ll outline a few tips for tired mums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There always seems to be something \u2013 one of the kids are sick, or they try to get into our bed, or the dog gets out of his bed and whines until I put his blanket back over him, or more recently, a rather large possum has decided to party each night on our roof. So for various reasons my sleep is disrupted and I feel permanently tired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re a mum with a young baby who wakes regularly through the night, hats off to you mumma. I\u2019ve pushed my memories of that level of exhaustion and sleep deprivation to the depths of my mind. If you\u2019re currently going through that stage at the moment I just want you to know that it\u2019s a season, it will pass and you\u2019re doing an amazing job!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m sure you can attest to this, but lack of sleep can affect our cognition, appetite, mental health and mood. So what can we do about it? Well, exercise, especially exercise outdoors, can support brain function, appetite regulation, mental health and improve mood. However, recent research has found that people who consistently have less than seven hours of sleep per night are 1.7 times at greater risk of musculoskeletal injury.* So when you\u2019ve not had enough sleep and you\u2019re tired, should you still exercise?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My advice is yes! (hang on though, there\u2019s a but\u2026)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it\u2019s important to adjust the intensity of your workout to match how much (or how little) rest you\u2019ve had, as well as finding a coach who will help you do this. A good coach (like a MumSafe trainer) will always listen when you say you\u2019ve not slept well, will give you appropriate exercises and won\u2019t push you to go harder in your workout, even if they know you are usually capable of doing more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve not had a lot of sleep, it\u2019s not your time to go Hulk smash on the barbell. It\u2019s your time to move your body at about 50 percent of your usual effort. Gentle movement can help you feel less tired and groggy because it increases oxygen to your brain and muscles, which is much better than surviving on coffee and sugar (I love a good coffee and doughnut by the way, but I recommend not relying on it to wake you up).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try these three simple steps next time you\u2019ve had an awful night\u2019s sleep:<\/p>\n\n\n\n