With Mother's Day right around the corner—it's May 9 for you procrastinators out there—you may be desperate to find a gift for the mother figure in your life. Sure, you could go with classic Mother's Day presents like a bouquet flowers or a cozy robe. Or you could find a gift that's suited specifically for your mom, like a gift certificate to her favorite workout class or a bag she's had her eye on. But if you're struggling to figure out what to give this year, you have about a 50 percent chance of getting it right with one present in particular. According to a recent survey, the gift nearly half of moms want for Mother's Day won't cost you a thing. To see what it is, read on, and for sweet messages to include in a card, check out 25 Mother's Day Messages That Will Warm Her Heart.
Nearly half of moms want an uninterrupted night of sleep for Mother's Day.
Stock-Asso / ShutterstockFor an easy gift that's guaranteed to make your mom smile, give her a good night's sleep. According to an April 29 survey commissioned by Mattress Firm and conducted by OnePoll, 43 percent of mothers said the best gift they could receive for Mother's Day would be a night of uninterrupted sleep.
So let your mom hit the hay early, be sure to keep the house quiet all evening, and take care of any morning tasks she usually does so that she can sleep in.
Or maybe let her stay there all day—the survey found that four in 10 moms just want to stay in bed for the full length of Mother's Day. If that sounds like the mom in your life, cancel the brunch reservations, call off any visitors, and bring her breakfast and her favorite magazine in bed.
And if you need more inspiration, check out 30 Mother's Day Ideas Better Than Any Store-Bought Gift.
Moms have been getting less sleep during the pandemic.
iStockMany people's sleep schedules have suffered as a result of the COVID pandemic, moms especially. About 60 percent of mothers said they had to adjust to a new sleep schedule over the last year, and 70 percent said they had to take on multiple roles during the pandemic, including that of nanny, teacher, and housekeeper.
Almost two-thirds of moms agree that being a mother has become more stressful over the past year, and the majority of moms felt like they would be a better parent if they were more well-rested.
And if you want to give her a card she won't forget this year, check out 11 Homemade Mother's Day Card Ideas for Kids.
Remote learning is keeping moms up at night.
ShutterstockThere are a handful of things that keep mothers up at night, the most common of which was remote learning, according to the survey. Almost 60 percent of moms also agreed that working from home contributed to their lack of sleep, and 53 percent said the pandemic was to blame.
Not having childcare was another significant stressor that accounted for 38 percent of moms' sleepless nights, and 32 percent said general stress prevented them from getting enough shut-eye.
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And of course, mothers of infants are sleeping the least.
iStockThe moment a child is born, their parents have to wave goodbye to peaceful nights for a while. According to the survey, mothers of newborns said they get an average of four hours of sleep per night and get up about four times a night to care for the baby.
"Most infants need between 12 and 18 hours of sleep with three or more naps in between, which is a lot of work for a new parent," Sujay Kansagra, MD, Mattress Firm’s sleep health expert, said in a statement ."Truthfully, no child sleeps through the night—and when your child isn’t sleeping, parents aren’t either."
The survey reported that mothers in the U.S. aren't likely to see a decent night of sleep until their child is at least four years old.
And for more on what could be getting in the way of your shut eye, know that If You Can't Fall Asleep, This One Food Could Be to Blame, Experts Say.
