Thank you Council for Responsible Nutrition for sponsoring this post. This is #MyWeekSupplemented.
Sleep deprivation and I have a long history. I mean, we were on a first name basis. So much so, that SD was even invited to our family reunions, Christmas holidays and vacations. We first met years ago, shortly after the birth of my oldest child. Between being a new mom and still a full-time college student, trying to function on cat naps was something that I quickly became accustomed to.
As the years went on and I had more children, my sleep habits became worse and worse. There were days that I would stay up without ever going to sleep at all. Other nights, I was averaging only 3-5 hours of sleep.
In my book, I thought any sleep would do, but in reality, it wasn’t the quality sleep that I actually needed. This made it nearly impossible for me to function as a mother, wife and simply a human being.
When it comes to taking care of your mental health, it’s no joke. As a mother my mental health is incredibly important for all members my family. As mom’s we try to push through; we take care of everyone else’s needs but our own, and we tend to forget that our personal mental health and well being should be the number one priority.
A year and a half ago when I finally reached my sleep deprived breaking point, I decided that taking melatonin would be a great option for me. However, I want to stress that even though I take them to help me get a good night’s sleep, as a whole, dietary supplements play an important role in good health, but they are meant as supplements to, not substitutes for, other healthy habits.
This means that I still have to practice healthy habits before bed to ensure that I am getting a good night’s sleep.
Take time to unwind
The same way I have to get my kids to unwind before bed, I do as well. This means no screen time for me, and I take a relaxing hot bath.
Yes, I have a bedtime as well
Set bedtime schedules aren’t just for kids. Without a bedtime in place, you are far more likely to push your body beyond its ideal sleep window, which can potentially lead to insomnia and exhaustion.
Even though some days I would pass out right next to my kids (you know the bedtime shuffle), I knew that supplementing to make sure that I get sleep at night was a important step that I needed to take.
When it comes to taking supplements to improve my well-being I am not alone (and neither are you if you do). A new survey from the Council for Responsible Nutrition found that the majority of US men (73 percent) and women (79 percent) take dietary supplements.
Now with the clarity of fairly good sleep on a regular basis, I know that. I didn’t know it then. Nothing is more important than my health and that of my family. For me, that means ensuring that I take care of my needs as well as theirs. Taking dietary supplements allows for me and my family to take a proactive role in our overall wellness and enhance our efforts to eat right and stay active.
There are lots of choices when it comes to dietary supplements, and so it’s wise to talk with a doctor or other healthcare practitioner about what dietary supplements are right for you.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Love of impromptu dance parties, 80’s cartoons, and horizontal life pauses (aka naps); Natasha Brown is a stay at home mom of 4 kids, and wife to one lucky guy! In her spare time, she is co-editor of Grits & Grace, as well as editor for The Mother Hustler Blog and Creative Director for the Mother Hustler podcast.
