7 Ways for Moms to De-Stress After Bedtime

After a long day of being a mom, you deserve to take some time to yourself and de-stress. It’s mommy’s time after the kids are put to bed.

So what should you do to allow yourself some freedom from your tiny tyrants? Here are 7 of my favorite ways to de-stress after I put my toddler to bed.

 { This post was sponsored by Weight Watchers International, Inc. as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. }

1. Catch up on your shows

There are so many shows that deserve to be watched. Unfortunately, a lot of them are too violent or scary for little eyes. So if I do get time to watch TV while she’s awake, it’s usually just talk shows or sitcoms like Friends or Parks and Rec.

After she goes to bed, I like to binge-watch new shows. I seriously need to catch up on This is Us. I’ve also been watching Santa Clarita Diet which is waaayyy too violent to watch during the day.

And I like to treat myself while watching my shows. *Tom Haverford voice* TREAT YO SELF! But obviously I want to make smart choices so I make a bowl of JOLLY TIME® Healthy Pop® Popcorn endorsed by Weight Watchers.®

It’s easy to get carried away with a giant bowl of popcorn, but the Jolly Time Healthy Pop Popcorn comes in 100 calorie bags. That means I don’t have to worry about overeating. And they’re the only brand of popcorn endorsed by Weight Watchers! It’s a great late night snack.

2. Listen to a podcast

I have several podcasts that I subscribe to but not enough hours in the car to listen to all of them. Sometimes after Toot goes to bed, I’ll listen to Anna Ferris’ new podcast or catch up with NPR or other news podcasts.

You can play mindless games like solitaire or any of the swipe and match games on your phone while you listen. I can’t just sit and listen to a podcast. I have to do something. Solitaire can keep me busy for hours while I listen to podcasts.

3. Read

I’m sure you’ve said “I’d love to read more but I don’t have time!” Yes, you do!

Put your kids to bed, grab a comfy blanket, flop on the couch, and pick up a book (or your ereader) and READ!

You can also pop some Jolly Time Healthy Pop Popcorn to snack on while you read.

Reading is one of the most relaxing activities. I feel like it’s more relaxing than watching TV. Unless you’re reading a horror or suspense novel. Then it might not be as relaxing. Lol

4. Late night Walmart trip

If your spouse or significant other is home, you are now free to leave the house without your kid. I love going shopping later in the evening kid-free.

There are far fewer people at Walmart at 8:30pm so you don’t have to worry about fighting for a good parking spot or bumping into people with your cart.

And you can take your time shopping because you don’t have to worry about getting back. You’ll have more time to check out new products too.

I recently found Flatout® Flatbread endorsed by Weight Watchers while I was in the bakery section at Walmart. They’re great for making easy wraps I can take to work for lunch.

5. Color something other than cartoon characters

Adult coloring books are a great way to de-stress. Coloring is just soothing.

I have my own fancy colored pencils that my toddler doesn’t get to use. They’re more expensive, but they color so smoothly.

Adult coloring books are everywhere. You can find pretty mandalas or licensed coloring books like Harry Potter or Game of Thrones. I even have one with swear words surrounded by pretty vines and flowers.

There’s just something about coloring a swear word after a long day with a toddler that just melts stress away. Lol

6. Workout

I know what you’re thinking. “After the workout of changing a toddler into feetie pajamas, why would I want to workout?”

Well, yoga counts as a workout too! I find yoga very relaxing and a great way to de-stress.

If you’re trying to lose weight or maintain your weight, you’ll need some time during the day to get some cardio or strength training in. I find it easier to do that while Toot is sleeping.

A lot of moms I know say they workout in the morning before their toddlers wake up. I’d rather workout at night and then go to bed. If I workout in the morning, I’m ready to go back to bed when I’m done.

I keep track of my weight and body fat percentage with my Weight Watchers Scale by Conair.® You can put your information into it, and it will even tell you your BMI.

7. Enjoy a treat (without sharing!)

At least 5 days out of the week I eagerly await bedtime so I can break out the dessert and not have to share it.

Toddlers are like a tax on your food. They always want at least a bite.

I keep Weight Watchers Ice Cream Novelties hidden in my freezer. They’re individually wrapped for better portion control. (Portion control is my nemesis when it comes to desserts so individually wrapped treats really help.) They’re also snack size so they’re under 100 calories.

Go forth and enjoy the freedom of eating ice cream without hiding in the closet and without giving up half to your kid. (And without the guilt of eating a bunch of calories.)

How do you de-stress after your kids go to bed?

Let me know in the comments below!

You can get all of the Weight Watchers endorsed products at your local Walmart!

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