A sleep disorder is among the list of typical challenges a kid with Angelman Syndrome may face.  It's a challenge a parent of an Angel shares too.  While I can't offer ways to make your little Angel sleep - since I don't have that figured out yet - I can share a few tricks that have helped me power through.

1: Don't count the hours

You went to bed at 11pm, it's now 3am.  He's been up for an hour.  If he falls asleep in an hour, you can still get in two hours of sleep before you have to get up.  Let's see, that's three plus two, five hours...that's not too bad.

Sounds familiar? One thing I found that is counter-productive is counting the number of hours you've slept, or making a plan for how much you will sleep, if things go as you hope.  Just stop counting, it won't make you feel any more rested.

2: Leave it when you leave the house

You're in traffic on the way to the office.  Ugh, last night was brutal.  You have a half-day of meetings today and you're exhausted.  Yawn.  You can't believe he was up last night again.  

Once you've started your day, forget about the night before. Dwelling on how tired you are, or might be, or how long the day ahead seems is only going to drain you more. Conserve that energy and add to it by turning on your favorite pump up song or listening to an audio book.  Move on with your day, and leave it when you leave the house.

3: Put your phone down

You've come across this post in one of your exhaustive internet searches at 3am while your little one is up,  just trying to find that magic nugget of knowledge that will lead to sleep.  

Looking at your phone in the middle of the night makes it so much harder to get back to sleep, when it's (finally) time to do so.  First off, it gets your brain going - thinking, reasoning, analyzing - and, if you're anything like me, that is very hard to turn off on-demand.  Secondly, the light a phone displays can tell your brain it's time to wake up, when it's not.  So, resist the urge to open the browser, and put your phone down. 

4: Take a mental red-eye

You're on a plane en route to Paris, or Bora Bora, or Barcelona.  You're in first class, in full reclining seats, at cruising altitude.  Soon, you'll land and be gazing at the Louvre, have sand in your toes, or be scanning an incredible tapas menu.  

So, this one might be a confession of a small kind, but this is a little game I've played when it's been a really rough night.  If you've ever been on a red eye, they're brutal, but if your destination is a good one the lack of sleep is an afterthought.  And, this type of imagined imagery can give you a little vacation in your mind, so take a mental red-eye.

5: Plan a "camel night"

Your company has a decent corporate rate at a local hotel.  Your best friend is away for the weekend, leaving her apartment vacant.  Your basement has a futon, even.

If you've had a few tough nights in a row, or just feel yourself getting run down, schedule a night to take in as much sleep as you can. That way, you can draw from these sleep stores in the days to come, when needed.  This means finding a quiet place where you won't be disturbed for at least 10 hours.  So, pack some comfortable sweats and plan a "camel night".

Hope one or two of these tricks will help you feel more rested, even if you're not getting any more sleep. And, when in doubt, coffee always helps too.

Have a tip of your own? Add it to the comments below!