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Lighter evenings, warmer weather, and the Christmas season all come with this time of year. People travel, go out of town, and even stay up late catching up with friends and family members for a variety of reasons; nevertheless, getting better sleep during the holiday season is also important.
Proper sleep (about 7-9 hours each night) is by far the most important habit to keep when it comes to sustaining healthy behaviors. When you’re not in your own bed, your sleep might be affected in a variety of ways, from strange locations to irregular bedtimes.
As your schedule begins to fill up this season, there are a few things you can take to guarantee that your sleep is your priority.
Do not Overload your Holiday Schedule
It’s very tempting to go to every holiday gathering you’ve been invited to, but over-planning can lead to sleep deprivation which can have disastrous consequences for you, and your family.
Make it easier on yourself by deciding ahead of time which events are essential to attend and which you can skip in order to maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
Avoid Overdoing Alcohol
You’ve been waiting for this season to attend all those Christmas parties and fill up your self with alcohol. While alcohol does make you sleepy and can help you fall asleep faster, it also disrupts your sleep and lowers the quality of your sleep.
Moreover, drinking can exacerbate your sleep difficulties that already exist. If you have obstructive sleep apnea, which causes frequent stops or pauses in breathing while sleeping, drinking can make your symptoms worse.
Balance Your Snacking, Especially at Night
Because eating all of that great food is one of the best part this coming holidays, this one may be the most difficult tip on the list. With so many tempting foods to choose from, it’s difficult not to overindulge in meals and snacks throughout the day, putting off your healthy diet in moderation until the New Year. Larger meals, on the other hand, take longer to digest, making it more difficult to fall asleep if eaten too close to bedtime.
Keep late-night snacking to a minimum as well. There’s nothing wrong with a light snack before bed, but if you fill yourself with food (especially those greasy ones) just before bed, your body will have to work harder to break down all that food while you sleep.
Stick to Your Sleep Schedule (as much as possible)
It’s easy to justify staying up late around the holidays to meet up with old friends and out-of-town relatives, but those late evenings may still disrupt your sleep routine. It’s fine to stay up a bit later over the holidays, but keep it to no more than an hour off your typical schedule.
Sleep deprivation can cause mood and behavior changes, so get some high quality sleep if you don’t want your family to witness you transform into a grumpy old Grinch.
Turn Off Your Lights and Electronics
It’s easy to get caught up in your favorite Christmas movies and stay up late. The light emitted by televisions, cellphones, and other electronic gadgets is comparable to that of daylight. These devices emit blue light, which disrupts your circadian cycle or internal clock; they also include exciting information, which keeps us awake and entices us to eat more.
Don’t Stop Exercising
As we have been mentioning most of the time, exercise may improve sleep quality significantly, and it doesn’t have to be tough. While it may be tempting to take a few days off from your training routine during the holidays, resist. Exercise might help you keep your mind free of all the holiday stress.
Everyone is busy around the holidays. Make sure you’re not taking on more than you can handle, and do everything you can to get a good night’s sleep.
If you’re still having trouble sleeping after following these guidelines and keeping appropriate sleep habits, consider replacing your mattress to one that can accommodate your lifestyle. Check out our SleepHive mattress options to see which one best suits your needs.
