I'm a bilingual yoga teacher who helps people who sit a lot gain mobility, move without pain and reduce their stress.
Sleep vs. Me-Time: The Parent’s Dilemma
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I’ve been thinking about how to strike a balance between getting enough sleep and finding time for myself in the evenings.
I know sleep is important, but after putting my baby to bed (around 8:30 PM), is the only time I have for myself.
It's the only quiet time I get to do yoga, meditate, enjoy dinner with my partner, and unwind with a series.
How can we respect our sleep while still satisfying these equally important needs?
This amazing question comes from my even more amazing client Lou. It’s such a common dilemma for parents, and I want to start by saying: parents, you have all my support and compassion. I completely understand how hard it is to care for yourself when you’re also taking care of a little human who needs you 24/7. I often see tweets and articles with that “alpha mindset” of, “We all have the same 24 hours, no excuses, blah blah,” and I want to emphasize that I think it's a steaming pile of poo 💩 I work with many clients who are parents, including several who’ve had babies in the last year, and I’ve seen firsthand how much experiences vary. Some babies sleep through the night almost immediately, while others barely sleep an hour straight at two years old. And even if you’re lucky enough to have a relatively “easy” baby, there are still endless things to manage. Here’s the thing: choosing means sacrificing. You can’t do it all, and something has to give. But you don’t have to sacrifice the same thing every night. For example:
As much as I’d love to tell you to always choose sleep (because you’ll feel so much better the next day), I understand that sometimes, for our mental and emotional health, we need that time to decompress or connect with our partner, even if it means being a little grumpy the next day. Rest takes many forms, as I covered in the 7 Types of Rest episode, not just physical. Mental and emotional rest should not be ignored. What I would always recommend then, is making time for yourself every single day, even for a few minutes. I'm very partial to 5-minute yoga routines that my clients can fit in whenever baby finally takes a nap, before tackling all the chores that have been piling up. Ultimately, it’s about finding a balance, making conscious choices, and being kind to yourself no matter what you decide. Life as a parent is already so demanding, there’s no need to add guilt to the mix. Hope this resonates with you! Let me know your thoughts. Om, peace 🧡 Clem PS: I'm opening the doors to Yoga with Clem in January a little bit in advance for a few people 👀 Over 90 days, we'll make your body more resilient to pain, and your mind more resilient to stress. I want you to not have to worry about your mental and physical health, so that you can focus on the important things in your life. We'll follow my Restore & Resilience Method with 3 fundamental pillars. We would start in January, but people who commit now basically get the next few weeks for free, with access to my whole library of routines and to the special goal setting Mindful Year workshop I’ll do with my community at the end of the month. If you'd like to know more, reply to this email with "INFO" and I'll send it over :) |
Clémence Dieryck
I'm a bilingual yoga teacher who helps people who sit a lot gain mobility, move without pain and reduce their stress.
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