You had a baby! Congratulations! But what now? Reality has set in, and surviving sleepless nights are becoming part of your everyday routine. You start to lose focus, you crave just ten minutes to shut your eyes but you can’t, not while your little one is crying to be fed, or you have work deadlines you need to meet.

It’s hard, there is no denying that. But we have some ways to tell if you might have crossed the bridge between “being quite tired” and full-on sleep deprivation, and the small ways we can counteract that as best as possible.

If you feel that you may be sleep deprived, you will notice you may be much more stressed, on edge or emotional than normal. You may feel like you have less special awareness or an increase in clumsiness, and words may get stuck in your head making basic communication feel like a painful chore. Sleep can also affect your hunger levels too - are you suddenly ravenous all the time? Or Can you barely eat a thing? Depending on your natural stress response, these can both be a sign of sleep deprivation.

So, now we know where we stand with our tiredness, but how can we make a plan to improve how we feel?

1. Although this may feel like the least of your concerns, exercise is a great way to get some endorphins pumping and awaken your senses when you’re over-tired, not to mention that a healthier body will allow you to take even better care of a little one in the long term. A long walk with your baby, or squeezing in a gym session when you can, can make a huge difference in how you feel mentally.

2. Lean on your partner or family to allow yourself a lie-in every once in a while. An extra hour in bed can mean a world of difference when you’ve been starving your brain of the rest it needs to flourish. If your partner is also lacking sleep, make an agreement to take turns at a time that suits you both.

3. Make lists to prioritize only the important tasks each day. If the washing can wait, let it wait. Sneaking in a 20-minute snooze instead of hoovering the stairs for the fourth time this week is allowed, and encouraged. And honestly? Most likely no one will even notice or care.

4. Drink water! Yes we know, you already know this one. But do you do it? That is the question! We often are dehydrated without even realizing it, and when you add that on top of exhaustion, it feels ten times worse. Get rid of the headaches, pains, and lethargy by making sure you’re hydrated!

5. Consider breaking your meals into smaller, more regular snacks to keep you energized throughout the day. Often when we eat a lot of carbs or starchy food in one go, we end up sleepy and lethargic for an hour or so afterward, which is the last thing you need if you’re already fighting sleep. By keeping the meals small, you can top-up without getting too full.

6. If you’re back at work, talk with your management about how you’re feeling, and discuss if it is possible to have a nap somewhere private during your breaks. If you’re working from home, try to get a nap in during a lunch break.

One very important point to remember is to never drive if you are feeling drowsy behind the wheel. Driving while sleepy reduces your reaction time, makes you less vigilant, and affects your decision-making skills drastically. If you feel yourself nodding off, wind down the window, try to take a sip of coffee or water, and pull over as soon as possible so you can jump out of the car and reenergize before getting back behind the wheel.

This is an exhausting time, but it will end eventually! With every month, your baby will get better at sleeping and last for longer stretches of time, allowing you to get the rest you need.