Babies sleep about 16 hours a day in the first few months, and newborns may even sleep up to 20 hours. You might think that leaves plenty of time for parents to rest, too. Freshly baked moms and dads can usually only manage a tired smile—because babies unfortunately don’t sleep continuously, but in short intervals. On average, parents get only five hours of sleep per night in the first year. In this article, we share tips to help you cope better with exhaustion and get through the day despite feeling tired.
1. Do not look at the clock at night
You probably know the feeling: your baby repeatedly needs you during the night, and with each glance at the clock, you feel more desperate because the morning alarm is getting closer and you’re still far from rested. Afterwards, you lie awake in bed, wondering how you’ll get through the next day. So try to break the habit of checking the clock at night! If you stop calculating how many hours of sleep you have left after each wake-up, you’ll spare yourself unnecessary stress—and falling back asleep will be easier.
2. Do not snooze
It’s one of the biggest morning temptations: the snooze button. But as hard as it can be, try to resist the urge to grab an extra 10 minutes of sleep with the push of a button. Since you won’t reach deep sleep in that short time, snoozing won’t give you any real rest. Instead, you’ll just repeat the unpleasant moment of the alarm ringing and make getting up even harder.
3. Refresh with cold water
A contrast shower in the morning stimulates your circulation and helps you start the day feeling more energized. But even splashing cold water on your face or running it over your wrists can refresh you after waking up—or help you feel more alert during the day.
4. Cheat visually alert
Miriam Jacks, make-up artist, founder of JACKS beauty department and mother of a young son, shared with us how she achieves a fresh complexion after sleepless nights: „My absolute secret tip for a fresh and rested look: I use a bit of self-tanner once a week. It immediately makes you look lively and refreshed again. Of course, I always make sure that the products I use do not contain synthetic substances and are safe for me and my child. Nowadays, there are also great natural cosmetics self-tanners that do not streak or smell and only need to be left on for a short time. So, perfect when the child is sleeping. ;) Thanks to the beautiful tan, you can skip makeup—unless you want to hide dark circles with a bit of concealer. I prefer to use a foundation brush from my product line for this, as I can also apply it more broadly to any redness or pigmentation spots.“
5. Smell essential oils
Essential oils can positively influence both psychological and physical processes, as scent molecules reach receptors in the brain directly via the olfactory system. Peppermint, lemon, sandalwood, rosemary, and orange oils are known for their invigorating effects. Simply smelling one of these essential oils can give you a small boost of alertness. Additionally, peppermint oil can help relieve fatigue-related headaches.
6. Chewing gum
It may sound funny, but for your body, chewing gum is like “minimal movement.” The jaw movements stimulate blood circulation in the brain and can improve your concentration and performance. Mint chewing gum also provides extra stimulation through its essential oils.
7. Drink plenty of fluids
Dehydration can make fatigue even worse. So try not to forget to drink—ideally 1.5–2.0 liters a day. Water, unsweetened herbal and fruit teas, or light fruit spritzers are best. Ginger water with lemon is also a great energy booster. To make it, simply pour boiling water over a few slices of ginger and let it steep for about 10 minutes. Once it has cooled, add a few drops of lemon juice and, if you like, ice cubes, and you’ll have a delicious, invigorating refreshment.
8. Caffeine - pay attention to the correct dose
Caffeine is the classic stimulant—and no question, coffee has saved many of us more than once. Still, we recommend not overdoing it. Over time, tolerance can develop, so even the third cup of coffee may no longer have the desired effect. Coffee also tends to provide only a short-term boost. The caffeine in green tea can keep you awake a bit longer, although the stimulating effect isn’t quite as strong.
9. Pay attention to a healthy diet
It’s completely normal for your own nutrition to take a back seat between diaper changes, feeding, and comforting your baby. The problem is that sweets and other snacks may give you a short-term energy boost, but then your blood sugar drops sharply again—leading to an even bigger slump. Instead, try to stick to three main meals and prepare something light as often as possible to keep your blood sugar stable throughout the day. Fruit and nuts make great snacks that can give you a little boost in between. And please don’t be hard on yourself if good intentions don’t always turn into action. We all know those moments when only chocolate helps. ;)
10. Power napping
Use the time while your child is napping for a quick “power nap.” Even though, as a tired mom or dad, you’ll appreciate every minute of sleep, your nap shouldn’t exceed 20 minutes—otherwise you may feel groggy instead of refreshed.
11. Move, preferably outdoors
Of course, when you’re tired, it’s tempting to choose the couch over exercise—especially when your baby keeps you on your toes all day. But that can slow your circulation even more, leaving you feeling even more sluggish and exhausted. Try to take a short walk with your baby as often as you can on tired days. Fresh air and movement boost your circulation, and you’ll feel more alert and focused afterward. Plus, a walk has the pleasant side effect of tiring out your little explorer, so they often sleep better afterward—meaning you can relax on the couch without interruption. ;) Yoga is also a wonderful way to add movement to your daily routine with your baby. On our , our yoga instructor Denise shows you various exercises that you can easily do at home and that are suitable not only for expectant mothers.
12. Set up the crib in the parents' bedroom
If you move the , you can avoid long distances when your little explorer calls for you at night. That way, you’ll likely fall back asleep more quickly afterward. Another advantage: scientists suspect that parents’ sleeping sounds stimulate infants’ breathing. You can find more about the optimal sleep environment for your baby in our magazine article “ “.
13. Go to bed early
You probably enjoy the few hours in the evening after your baby falls asleep and want to get as much done as possible during that time. However, if you occasionally go to bed at the same time as your child, you can catch up on some sleep. While this may not fully make up for sleep deprivation, it can at least reduce it somewhat. Plus, babies often sleep the longest right after falling asleep. So if you secure those hours of sleep, you’ll feel more alert the next morning—even if your little explorer steals your sleep in the second half of the night.
14. Divide work with the partner
If you and your partner are both exhausted, it helps neither you nor your child. So share the nights with your partner so that at least one of you can sleep. If your baby sleeps in the parents’ bedroom, it can help to set up an additional bed or sofa bed in another room. Especially if you have an important appointment at work the next day, an extra sleeping option can be worth its weight in gold.
Another good idea is to give each of you a sleep-in day on the weekend: you get to stay in bed a little longer on Saturday while your partner takes over baby care, and on Sunday you switch roles.
15. Provide relief
Try to make everyday life easier whenever possible. Doing the weekly grocery shopping while exhausted with a child, or rushing to the drugstore to restock diapers, doesn’t exactly improve your mood. To give you one less thing to worry about, you can have our conveniently and flexibly delivered to your home—leaving you more time for other things, like a nap. ;)
16. Take time off
And last but not least: create small islands of relaxation for yourself! It’s perfectly okay to hire a babysitter or ask the grandparents to watch their grandchild so you can finally get a good night’s sleep again. Once you’re rested, you’ll be able to face the next sleepless night with more calm.
It’s amazing how wonderful new life with your little explorer is—yet a baby always demands full attention and can turn your daily routine upside down. No wonder that, at some point, you simply can’t go on and urgently need a break. Since sleep deprivation is not only unhealthy in the long run but can also become dangerous, there is ultimately only one solution: sleep. So don’t judge yourself for dialing down your expectations. It’s perfectly okay to leave the household chores undone for once and treat yourself to an evening (and some sleep) instead. And even if it’s only a small consolation right now, remember: this phase of sleep deprivation won’t last forever. Over time, your baby will sleep through the night more and more often.
Until then, we wish you lots of energy!
