How to optimise YOUR sleep without changing your baby's sleep at all

Lucy Bagwell
2 days ago
4 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

Inc Origin Hybrid Pro Mattress Review

When in the thick of it with your little one’s sleep, sometimes the element you can control the most is your own sleep hygiene to make sure the sleep you do get is the best it can be. We spend such a lot of time optimising everything for our little people but regularly what we need is ignored and this can lead you feeling even more tired than you would be.

What Is Sleep Hygiene (and Why It Matters)?

Sleep hygiene refers to the daily habits and environmental factors that support better sleep. For parents, good sleep hygiene isn’t about achieving eight uninterrupted hours—it’s about making the sleep you do get as restorative as possible.

Let’s look at realistic sleep hygiene tips that actually work when you have children.

Look After Your Body During the Day

Sleep hygiene starts long before bedtime.

Daytime habits that improve sleep:

Get natural daylight exposure in the morning; this is also great for baby!
Stay hydrated; it’s amazing as parents how we can forget to simply drink water!
Avoid excessive caffeine after lunchtime
Fit in gentle movement, even a walk (for many pushing the pram for naps is a given!)

Create an Adult Wind-Down Routine (Even If It’s Short)

I regularly recommend doing some of your need meeting before the kids bedtime so you can feel as relaxed as possible for their routine; skincare and getting into pyjamas for example. But once the kids are actually asleep we want to optimise what is happening in the lead up to your bedtime. It’s tempting to scroll or binge-watch at this time, and I hear you, zoning out is so needed sometimes. To that end, I won’t tell you to not watch any TV or check your phone, but try and leave a 30-60 minute gap between finishing this and eyes closing for bedtime.

Try this instead:

Dim the lights 30–60 minutes before bed
Swap scrolling for reading or light stretching
Keep bedtime roughly consistent, even on weekends

Even a 15-minute wind-down ritual signals to your body that it’s time to rest.

Avoid excess sugar, caffeine and alcohol before bed

This can be a bit of a bore and it’s all about balance with what feels important to you, but there’s no two ways about it that these factors can negatively impact your sleep. Firstly getting to sleep but alcohol in particular affects your quality of sleep and you can feel less rested than you would have done.

This period while your little one’s sleep may still be changeable and tricky at times doesn’t last forever. You might feel like you have to say no to some things for now but it’s temporary!

Choose a Mattress that makes sleep as consolidated as your little one will allow

When sleep is fragmented, pressure points and overheating become more noticeable. A poor mattress can leave you waking up sore, even after only a few hours.

This is where a hybrid mattress can make a real difference.

Why I (and many other parents) Love the Origin Hybrid Mattress Pro (UK)

The Origin Hybrid Pro Mattress is designed to support deeper, more restorative sleep—ideal for parents who can’t always control how long they sleep.

Key benefits include:

Advanced hybrid support: Combines pocket springs with pressure-relieving foam to support your spine, whether you sleep on your back, side, or front
Cooling technology: Breathable layers help regulate temperature—great if you’re prone to overheating or sharing your bed with a child (or two)
Motion isolation: Minimises movement disruption when a partner—or little one—climbs in or out of bed

For parents dealing with night wakings, the ability to fall back asleep quickly and comfortably is invaluable and having slept on this bed for over 6 months now I can say for personal experience it is so comfortable without being too soft and the relief I feel when I lay on it at bedtime is very real!

Stop tracking

Tracking your little one’s sleep can be extremely stressful and actually negatively impact your sleep on top of their actual wakings.

Firstly, you are looking at your phone in the night, which can further disrupt your sleep and make it harder to fall back to sleep once your little one is asleep.

Secondly, it encourages night time maths and rumination. This can keep you up long past your little one falling back to sleep and you can find yourself far more tired than you needed to be.

If you are in the thick of it with your little one’s sleep then know you are not along and that it won’t be forever. Nothing lasts no matter how much your tired brain wants to tell you it will.

Start by considering the amazing Origin Hybrid pro mattress as a treat for YOU but if you want to explore your little one’s sleep further you may want to check out one of my comprehensive guides and webinars or explore 1:1 support options.