May is National Better Sleep Month, and for moms, better sleep – and more sleep – may feel like an unattainable goal. But if you’re sleep-deprived, life goes on; your kids still need you and all your usual obligations still loom. How do you deal with not being well-rested and your energy being sapped? Guzzling as much caffeine as possible? Maybe you wake up early or go to bed late to get a handle on all the chores that fall by the wayside while you’re at the office or caring for the children all day. Regardless, you need energy, and if you’re not getting it, then it’s time to figure out why. First, take a look at your diet. Maybe you’re trying to shed some post-pregnancy pounds, but skipping meals is never a good idea, and while many new moms can squeeze in breakfast, lunch might just be your child’s castoffs, which isn’t enough. And if you’re making a meal out of kids’ favorites – breaded nuggets, white bread and processed foods – then you may not be eating the right kind of lunch.

Choose foods that will stick with you, and diversify, making sure there’s a protein, fruit and vegetable, and a carbohydrate. Fixing a turkey sandwich on whole-wheat bread is a quick, easy way to sit down with your child – or in front of the computer – to eat. Next, take a look at your medicine. If it is allegedly non-drowsy, like many new allergy medications say they are, then try going off of it for a day if possible. You might be surprised at how much more energy you have. And while it seems like caffeine can help pick you up, when taken to combat that late-afternoon slump, it can disrupt sleep patterns. Stick with one to two cups per day, and limit it to the morning and early afternoon. Finally, as your children need that winding-down time before bed that might involve storytelling and bathtime, so do you. Try to let your brain wind down for 15 minutes or so before you hit the hay. Read a few pages of a book or magazine, or just breathe and unwind. You’ll ease into sleep better.