Moms, Take a Break

Moms these days are crazy-busy and certainly, there’s pride in being a society of doers. But what toll does this take?

The alarming rise in the rate of sleeping pill usage tells us loud and clear that many of us are finding it harder and harder to relax. In researching our book, Mothers Need Time-Outs Too, we came across some eye-opening statistics: according to the National Institutes of Health, up to 40 percent of adult Americans suffer sleep problems each year. Hardly surprising, then, that pharmacists filled forty-three million prescriptions for sleep drugs in 2005—that’s up 32 percent in only four years, according to Consumer Reports.

Wow! Can you believe that?

Is it always wise, or safe, to seek quick fixes to our problems? Sure, popping that Ambien may ensure a good night’s sleep, but what does that say about our mental and physical health if we can’t find rest without chemically inducing it?

Yes, it takes time to find longer-term, more holistic solutions to our problems, but not only is it worth it, it’s actually crucial.

Here’s one option we bet many of you haven’t tried yet: Meditation. Man, it is hard to do, but it pays off big time. If you haven’t already read it, check out Elizabeth Gilbert’s hilarious account of trying to achieve nirvana in her bestselling book, Eat, Pray, Love. You have to have patience. You have to control your wandering mind. You have to find a small chunk of free time! But people who practice meditation swear by it.