This post is sponsored by Tempur-Pedic: because we think you deserve to get your best night’s sleep every night.
I was asked by my ad network if I would track my sleep habits for a week and write about them. I thought, “what a yawn!” (get it?) but I agreed because I thought it might finally provide proof to my husband that I sleep like poop, and then he’ll have to fawn all over me and bring me bon bons.
I was sent a Fitbit, a little device that is basically a magical pedometer. It’s the size of a thumb drive:
It can clip onto your clothing and it measures your activity – everything from how many steps you took, how many miles you walked in a day, and the coolest thing – your sleep habits.
At night, I put on a bracelet (sort of like a sweat band) and slipped the fit bit onto it. After pressing a button to tell the Fitbit I was sleeping, off to dream land I went. Or so I thought:
Yes, that is telling you that it not only took me almost an hour to fall asleep, but I was then woken up THIRTY TIMES. That would be normal if I had a newborn, but I DON’T. My sleeping was worse than I thought (and this was before we moved!).
I showed Mike the graph and he was like, “Oh.” His sympathy, it OVERWHELMS.
The next day I started the packing process. And I slept…better?
I didn’t wake up as much, but it still took me forever to fall asleep.
As I went on through the week, it was more of the same – get in bed, lay there for almost an hour, and then wake up a jillion times through the night. Until this glorious day:
Immediately I was like, “whatever I did yesterday I am going to do again, exactly!” And then I had another crappy night.
After wracking my brain, I realized the difference between the two nights was….drum roll….a glass of wine. Not exactly something I want OR need to repeat every night.
I need some new ideas to help me sleep better.
Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] says:
The French and my grandmother’s doctor say a glass of wine before bed is good for you.
Lindsay C says:
I want a fitbit! That seems like the coolest device ever. P.S. put it on Mike and see how long it takes him to fall asleep. If he’s anything like my husband it will be approximately 12 seconds. The bastard.
Rebecca says:
The photos aren’t coming up on my computer so I’ll have to check back later but I want one of those to see how well I do/don’t sleep at night. Not too sure what I will do with the information once I have it but it would be nice to have. I normally wake up a dozen times or so so it would be interesting to see what the FitBit says about me sleeping……….
Whoever sponsored YOU to have a FitBit, I want one. I could do myself, my husband and both my kids. Stuff like this is interesting to me.
Courtney says:
I can tell you what is waking me up at night: my husband. The snoring isn’t so bad (I can get him to roll over and I fall back asleep pretty quickly), the flopping is annoying, but the kicking sucks. He doesn’t kick me, but around 5:00 every morning he starts kicking the sheets and jerking his legs around. Last week he KNEED me in the leg, twice. What the hell?
If the answer is a new Tempur-Pedic mattress, can you sign me up please? Or if not, I kind of want one of those FitBits too.
Rebecca says:
I could have written this myself. The leg kicking drives me insane. It’s not real full fledged kicks, more of a fluttering of his ankles and feet. One time I thought he might be having a seizure of just his feet or something.
My husband will snore and keep snoring every single time I wake him up. I’ve gone off to the couch to get away from the dreaded sound. He even wakes my daughter.
Casey says:
I want one of those! That kind of stuff really interests me, it would be cool to see how I actually sleep at night
Sky in Seattle says:
have you tried a benadryl an hour before you ideal sleep time? many docs like to use that because it is non habit forming and safe and of course if you have allergies you get an extra perk!
Zu says:
I want a Fitbit now too! Maybe Tempur-Pedic should let you do some giveaways
My friends with babies swear by Saint John’s Wort for helping them sleep better in between waking up for feedings during the night. They are huge fans, say it really helped them fall asleep faster, sleep deeper, and go back to sleep easier once woken up. (My little disclaimer – I haven’t tried it myself yet- with no kids, i get lots of sleep. And even though research says its fine to use when breastfeeding, the bottle does say not to; so do your research before you take my word for it!)
Jennifer says:
Also be careful with St. John’s Wort. It can interact with a lot of different medications you might be taking for other things. Please check with your pharmacist before taking it.
SJ says:
No help from here…I use that whole glasses of wine trick
Heidi says:
Actually, a glass of wine before bed isn’t a bad idea and is good for you.
If you don’t want that, have you tried Melatonin. I just recently started taking it – not nightly, but after a few nights of unrest – and really like it. I sleep better without that drugged out feeling a Tylenol PM or something similar gives.
Shana says:
I concur with Heidi…research and try melatonin.
Noe says:
No advice from me- worst sleeper ever!
But the litlle thing looks awesome. I agree with whoever said they should give you one for giveaway!
Kristin says:
I want a fitbit too!!! I had a sleep study done almost two years ago, and it was the worst night’s sleep I’ve ever had – HOW is anyone supposed to sleep with all that dumb stuff hooked up to you, worrying about whether you’re gonna start talking in your sleep, whether your PJs are gonna stay in place or if you’re gonna flash someone, etc…. A fitbit sounds WAY more efficient (although, perhaps, ultimately just a bit depressing in terms of how often a person can be awakened in one night…)
hdj says:
For me, working out every day, or almost every day, helps me sleep SO much better.
Lisa says:
This is going to sound crazy… I’m a mom too, so I know how important evenings are when you finally have time to yourself and run around like crazy trying to get everything done… but often, going to sleep earlier helps you sleep better and more deeply. You might want to try a couple of nights going to bed 30 to 60 minutes earlier. Or you could ignore this paragraph entirely, I wouldn’t blame you!
Taryn @ InnerFatGirl says:
I would worry if you said “keg of wine.” Glass of wine? European children can handle it so I am sure you can too. I like the sleep robot! Very neat. Congrats on the new house too. Love the wood floors!
Kim says:
Ok, how do I get my hands on one of those? Seriously, Jeremy thinks I get SO much sleep since I nurse the baby in bed. Whatever.
Also…I have no ideas for a good night’s sleep. Obviously, since I haven’t slept in 9 years!
Melissa says:
I actually don’t think having a glass of wine before bed is that terrible.
But if you want to go all teetotaller on me, try a bowl of Cheerios? I read somewhere that there’s something magical about the combination of grains and milk that helps you fall asleep. Like, all those classic sitcoms where a teenager wakes up in the middle of the night for a heart-to-heart, and then has a warm glass of milk and goes back to sleep? There’s some science behind it! I think.
Jacqueline says:
I take a bath with lavender epsom salts and drink a cup of sleepytime tea when I am having trouble sleeping and it always works for me. The lavender and warm water are so relaxing that it’s not uncommon for me to start falling asleep in the tub. My husband checks to make sure I’m alive every few minutes when I take a lavender bath:)
Jane says:
Exercise is the key to good sleep! And I mean focused cardio that gets you sweating, your heart beating and makes you feel like, wow, that was intense. Do it several times a week and you will sleep better EVERY night. Unfortunately, chasing a toddler, walking a dog or packing don’t count
Claire says:
In my humble opinion, if a glass of wine helps you sleep at night than by all means have a glass. You are not having a BOTTLE of wine a night which would be a whole different story all together. This is what helps you relax. Also red wine is also good for your heart. We are here to enjoy life and if that’s what you enjoy go for it.
It really is the little things that matter
Jenny says:
Dude! I want one of those! Actually, full disclosure: I sleep much better since we bought a Tempurpedic. Is it possible to score over 100%? My husband would ace that teat. He gives me sleep-envy.
AmazingGreis says:
Now I want a Fitbit!!
Elizabeth says:
Wish I had some advice but I have a pretty crappy sleep schedule myself!
Nell says:
Now I want a Fitbit AND a glass of wine!
Lisa says:
I SO need one of those. Hubs says that I get WAY more sleep than him. But he doesn’t take in to account how many times I have to wake him up from his snoring. Even if I go into the living room to sleep, I can still hear him. As loudly as if he’s laying next to me almost. And then there’s the cat that insists on sleeping on my head, screams all night if he’s told no, and thinks my forehead is his personal chin rest. Then there’s husband kicking when he’s not snoring, stealing all the blankets, or INSISTING on snuggling with me where he winds up literally asleep on top of my back. I want my own bed damn it…..
ClassyFabSarah says:
I soooo want to get a fitbit just so I can see how I sleep! I’m a HORRIBLE sleeper, takes me foreverr to get down for the night – but I’ve found a good bedtime routine (just like a baby!) helps me to fall asleep more quickly. I do my steps (wash face, brush teeth, put lotion on my feet, read a few pages of a book with a dim light on, and hopefully BAM pass out) and it definitely cuts down on the time I spent tossing and turning/
Lisa says:
Can I just say that Monday I was in an accident *grumble* and well since I was on my motorcycle at the time, my jeans were dirty. So I got home and immediately washed them… along with my fitbit!!!!
*sigh*
Jessica Makuh says:
I looked this up so I can buy one! How neat!
Wendy says:
Read for ten minutes before you turn out the lights to go to sleep. Or you can meditate for ten minutes, which doesn’t necessarily mean to clear your head of thoughts. For me I think about all the things I am grateful for in life. Both of these things should help you fall asleep faster!
Edna nalls says:
A sleep number mattress is the best! It takes about a month to get develop comfort levels but after that, you won’t want another mattress!
My husband I both love it! We have different sleep numbers and it works for us!
Gina says:
Went to best buy and bought a fitbit within 20 minutes of reading this blog! I TOTALLY love it!!!!
As far as better sleep…I like melatonin. The GNC melt under your tongue version… I have been known to pop 3 or 5 of those at a time!
Melatonin helps lab rats live twice as long in studies….true story.
Jenn says:
I love my FitBit…and I love melatonin and Sleepytime tea!!! Hope you’re sleeping better these days!
Angie T says:
We should start a Mommy/Blogger/Internet friends fitbit group I recently got one and then I saw yours on your shirt in your latest post about turkey and cranberries and crockpots…
So naturally I searched your page for more about your FitBit. And Wa-lah!
Anyways, let’s start a group and get some healthy accountability going?? Fitbitters unite!
Angie