How Rick Campanelli Ensures His Whole Family Stays Well Rested

Canadian TV and radio personality, Rick Campanelli reveals how he balances work, family, and sleep!

As a father of three sons, how do you ensure that the whole family gets the proper amount of sleep?

We’re a very busy family that’s on the go non-stop. We tire ourselves out on a daily basis and make sure we’re in bed at a decent time each night. We’re very happy and ready to go the next day if we get eight hours of sleep every night. Most of the time it’s nine or 10 hours. Most of the time it’s early to bed and very early to rise at the Campanelli household.

What are your best tips and tricks for getting young children in bed?

When it comes time for my young boys (aged five and seven) to go to sleep, we run through our routine. We eat dinner no later than 6 p.m., and we make sure their bellies are nice and full. After dinner we usually watch a family movie then brush our teeth. After we clean our teeth, we all get in bed with a book. The boys are very tired at this point and falling asleep just comes naturally. They’re usually asleep by 8:30 p.m. and up the next morning by 6:30 or 7 a.m.

How do you ensure that your sleep isn’t compromised while balancing work and family?

Sleep is never comprised! It’s a priority for us. Sleep and rest, a healthy diet, and exercise and activity are how we’ve been living for years.

What advice do you have for other families regarding sleep?

Sleep must be a priority to perform the following day. Lack of sleep ruins all productivity the next day. Trust me, I know — I’ve been there!

How has your sleep been impacted since becoming a father?

When I first became a father, I lost many hours of sleep on a nightly basis. Now that my boys are older, and their sleeping patterns are better, I’m also able to sleep better and to get my required eight hours of sleep. I needed to make sacrifices years ago when my boys were babies as any father or mother would. You’ll never meet a new parent who gets a good night’s sleep.