The Great Escape: ZZZZzzzzzzzzz

Your teens are holding a car wash at the high school Saturday. The grandparents volunteered to take the younger children to a movie Sunday afternoon. Your tweens take tap on Wednesday evening.  It’s your time. Take it.

Each week, we’ll tell you about one great idea to give you a much deserved break, and make your life a little easier, maybe a whole lot easier.

What is the one thing every mom will tell you is lacking in her life? Sleep. There is nothing quite like a good night’s sleep. So if you find yourself suddenly with a morning or afternoon of free time, don’t feel guilty for not using it to mop floors or arrange all your canned goods in alphabetical order. Take care of yourself first. Get some rest!

Have a hard time unwinding? Most overworked people spend the first hour of the night or naptime feeling guilty for even lying down. That’s wasted time, and you can’t get it back. If you’re tightly wound, use music to relax. Get yourself some relaxation music: be it Zen lullabies, classical, or whatever floats your boat, and listen a little before your nap.

Make sure your bedroom isn’t also a multipurpose room. It should be a place of relaxation, period. So take the laptop out, fold the clothes elsewhere, and the ironing board goes back where it belongs: in the closet.

Make sure the temperature is cool. Most people sleep best between 65 and 68 degrees. If you sleep upstairs and it gets too warm in the daytime, consider using a fan. The white noise can also lull you to sleep.

Is your bedroom dark enough? If you are sneaking away for an afternoon nap, you could be wasting your time if it’s brighter than an operating table in there. If you don’t have blinds or other window treatments that eliminate enough light, invest in some heavy drapes that can really block the sun’s rays.

Finally, the noise. Close the windows so you can’t hear the neighbor’s 68 Pomeranians yapping and the clamor of the morning garbage trucks.

See you in the morning!