Being a mother is a full-time job requiring long nights and early mornings on a daily basis. I know I am preaching to the choir here, but it feels good to come out and just state the facts. For many moms finding time to rest requires an ability to take full advantage of a few short hours in the middle of the night (unless you have a newborn baby). But, if you’re like many moms, sleep may not come as easily as it should. Here are the Top 5 Reasons Moms Can’t Sleep at Night and things that you can do to help.

1. Stressed and Under Pressure.

Lets face it, being a mom in the twenty-first century is stressful. Taking care of multiple children, keeping up a home, and working at the same time is more than a full load in this fast-paced world. All the stress and pressure can be difficult to let go of at night and tomorrows tasks can weigh heavily on your mind at night.

Things you can do to de-stress. Firstly, try to prioritize some fun time in your weeks. Studies have shown that exercise and rest can de-stress your life but you can also spend time doing the things that make you happy. Go on a walk with hubby, watch your favorite movie over the weekend or simply invite your friends over for dinner. Try to fill your busy life with something fun. Laughter is one of the quickest ways to de-stress.  Go have fun!

2. A Restless Child.

It is not uncommon for a young children to be restless at night. Newborns may not sleep more than a few hours at night, (especially newborns with colic). Toddlers and young children may have nightmares or be unable to sleep in a room by themselves. Unfortunately, a visit from a child in the middle of the night can cost a mother hours of precious sleep time.

Things you can do: This could honestly be a blog post all to itself and there are multiple philosophies on “bed-time” routine. This article is not trying to be controversial so I’ll simply say that it is important to have a routine. Studies have shown that children thrive from consistency. If your little-ones take an longer-then-usual to fall asleep you can simply start your routine early.

3. Family Finances.

Every parents desires to give their child a life full of opportunities which were never given to them, and to meet all of their needs. For many parents, finances can be a huge concern and they may be torn between working and being a stay at home parent. For some moms, the thought of sending their children to college and affording extra circular activities can can be so overwhelming they are unable to get it off their mind at night.

Things you can do: You might be surprised how fast you can make a dent in your savings-goals. My husband worked at Starbucks while he went to school. When we started planning our wedding, we used the envelope system to save for our honeymoon. We saved the extra money he made in tips. Over the course of a year we were able to save enough to go to Cancun, Mexico (which resulted in an interesting interview on CBS news). There is no better time to start saving then today. If you start putting $20 dollars a week into an envelope, you’ll have $18,000 saved up by the time you kids are ready for collage.

4. Their Family’s Health.

Moms often feel responsible for the health of their children. If a child is sick or is experiencing a health issue it may be very difficult for a mother to find rest or comfort during that time. They may even be required to stay up at night tending to their child’s needs losing even more sleep then they expected.

Things you can do: You probably think we are going to tell you a magic trick to super-charge your family’s health. Well, we’re not. You already know that diet and exercise are important factors in their wellbeing. Keep it up. The thing you can do is try to relax. Kids are pretty resilient. They all get sick at some point, they all get runny noses, but that is ok. For the most part every time they get sick their immune system gets stronger. This will keep them healthier for the rest of their lives. You are already doing a good job!

5. Their Morning Coffee.

Many moms need multiple cups of coffee through the day to keep them going. But, few people know that caffein stays in their system for up to 15 hours. This means that a harmless mid-afternoon cup of coffee can keep you up late into the night.

Things you can do: Fortunately for you, there is a sleep-aid which helps the body process and kick caffein out of the body in just a few hours. Every once in a while, I’ll have a late night cup of coffee and for that, I love the fact that I have Rutaesomn in my coopered. Check them out. This is a good thing to keep on hand.

That’s it for now. If you have any tips for helping moms sleep at night, let us know in the comments below. We would love to hear from you.

Hillary Jaquez is a Mom of two small children and veteran of sleepless nights.

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