Does this sound familiar? It's 9pm, the kids are actually in bed (and asleep!) and you can barely keep your eyes open as you fold the laundry or get caught up on Netflix. Then, as you finally crawl into bed, you suddenly become wide awake. Thoughts of permission slips, soccer practice, and laundry parade through your head. Before you know it, you've been tossing and turning or staring at the ceiling for an hour (or more).

Or maybe falling asleep isn't the issue. Perhaps you are in a drool-worthy slumber within minutes of your head hitting the pillow. Then, sometime between 2 and 4am, you wake up and can't fall back asleep. You can't get comfortable, your mind is racing, you are counting how many hours you could sleep if you could just fall back asleep now.

For all the days, weeks, and months we help our kids find their way to bed, we deserve to get our best rest any chance we get, and it needs to be a priority.

Yet, if you are dealing with those frustrating nights of restlessness, it seems out of reach. Let's fix that!

Three ways to get better sleep tonight (not your conventional list):

1. Eat the right foods before bed. Depending on how you are eating throughout the day, you may be struggling to fall or stay asleep because of blood sugar management. Your body may be waking to get you to eat. (Our bodies are smart like that!)

What to do: About an hour before bed, eat a little protein or fat. They both take longer to digest and are satiating, allowing your body to feel more at ease in the resting hours. Examples? A spoonful of almond or peanut butter, piece of cheese, palmful of nuts, few bites of a protein bar, etc.

2. Get your tea on. Hot tea before bed is a great way to tell your body it's almost time to sleep. You can't really drink hot tea in a hurry, so it forces you to slow down, sip slowly, and focus on bringing the day to a close. Bonus? This also helps to control cravings, so if you find nighttime munchies get the best of you, tea is here to help.

What to do: Brew a cup of hot tea as part of your bedtime routine. Make sure to avoid the caffeinated variety. There are hundreds of blends and flavors at your local grocery; have fun with trying a new one each week! Examples? Any herbal tea, chamomile, or Tulsi will do the trick.

3. Watch your mouth! If you are constantly talking about how awful your sleep is, then it will continue to be awful! And if you have the expectation that you will toss and turn and feel restless, then, you guessed it, that's exactly what will happen. Talking negatively about sleep and whatever has happened in the past to disrupt it can make it easy to avoid trying to fix it and can make bedtime dreadful for yourself. The words we use to describe any situation are powerful and describing our sleep is no exception.

What to do: Even if you've had poor sleep for years, start with some new and simple phrases when you think and talk about sleep. Examples? "Sleep is going to be so restful tonight." "I'm looking forward to resting my body and mind tonight." "Tonight is going to be a great night of sleep." (These may sound a bit corny, but they work with practice.)

Mamas, your sleep is important. It's how you heal, mentally process life, and empower yourself to have a great day. Your sleep is as critical as your little ones'.

Looking for a little more help with your sleep? Go HERE to grab your free Love Your Body Sleep Better Guide. It's a super short guide to help you get the sleep you need and deserve.