Ever wondered how much sleep other mums actually get each night?
As part of our sleep diary series, we've asked parents of children of all ages to note down their honest sleep problems for a week, and we bet some of their sleep habits (or lack thereof!) sound rather familiar. Whether you're struggling with how to get your child to sleep or wondering how to keep them asleep once they drop off, a lot of us fight the same battles each and every night.
Here, mum Leeanne Wright, who has two boys, Kaiden, four, and Brandon, 10, makes us jealous with her stable sleep pattern - until the growing pains kick in...
Monday
22:30pm: The lights are off downstairs and bedtime it is. I put the iPad on and catch up on EastEnders until I start dozing off. 6.30am: The alarm goes off as usual and I had to think twice about whether I woke up in the night, as I always think of this first thing, but no awakening children last night. I'm feeling refreshed and ready to start the day. Tiredness rating: 3/10
Tuesday
22.15pm: Earlyish night as I am feeling tired after a hectic day in the office. I try to catch up on EastEnders but my eyelids are already closing. 1.20am: No luck for a repeat performance of last night - Kaiden is awake and crying. I get up in a zombie-like state and go to the rescue. He's now asleep and crying, so I comfort him and go back to bed. In no time at all I am asleep again. 2.10am Kaiden is crying again, so I go through to him and his covers are off, so I put them back on and go back to bed. However, it takes longer for me to go off to sleep again this time. 6.30am The alarm goes off and it takes me quite a while to get motivated. My head is pounding, as it usually does when I don't get an full night's sleep. Tiredness rating: 5/10
Wednesday
22.30pm: Bedtime for me! I watch Pretty Little Liars on the iPad for about an hour, before I start falling asleep and switch off. 4.20am: Kaiden is awake and complaining of pains in his legs and back - he's been having them for a few months now. I get the Ibugel and give his legs a rub and he's off to sleep again. 6.30am: Alarm is singing away but I am struggling to get up this morning. I finally get up at 6.40am and then start the day with rushing around manically trying to organise the kids and dogs before work. Tiredness rating: 5/10
Thursday
22.30pm: I was attempting to get an early night but it just doesn't happen. I don't even check the iPad, I am straight off to sleep. 6.30am: Off goes the alarm and after a full night's sleep I am feeling normal again. Up and ready and armed with a cup of tea ready to start the day. Tiredness rating: 3/10
Friday
1.30am: A late night for us, as we had football training with the boys tonight and then decided to watch a movie on Apple TV. 6.30am And its that time again, the alarm singing and I can't believe its morning - and that I've slept straight through, although it was only five hours! I feel as though I have only just gone to bed… I am up and ready to finish the week.
Saturday
23.30pm: Bedtime it is after a long day of travelling around the country for football…. Lights out and I am asleep, no iPad again… 2.30am: I can hear my name being called, and I get up thinking it's Kaiden, but no it's Brandon, the 10-year-old. This time he has growing pains, which have been reoccurring for the last couple of years on and off. I suffered with growing pains when I was younger. Again, I rub the Ibugel and settle him until he goes off to sleep again. I go back to bed and have to get the iPad as I am struggling to go asleep again. Finally I am off… 7.00am: – You would think being a weekend, there would be no alarm. However, in this house Kaiden has football training and my husband is away, so its my turn to take him. 08.45 - I am armed with coffee and off we go.
Sunday
22.30am: Uniforms are ironed and it's bedtime for us. I watch Pretty Little Liars for a bit, until I am getting sleepy again. 6.30am: It's Monday morning again, and thankfully the boys slept through after a busy weekend.
My usual sleep pattern would be 10.30 – 06.30 daily, so this was a fairly average week. I actually prefer this to getting more sleep, because then I feel more tired as I don't want to get up!
