This holiday season will certainly be a special one. After over a year of traveling less to keep loved ones safe, this year, more families are expected to travel and carry out typical holiday celebrations.
While we couldn’t be more excited to see loved ones and travel to hometowns, one thing that always seems to take the back burner during these festive times is sleep. Kids are usually on break and sleeping less, families are on vacation and sleeping less, and overall, the world generally sees less sleep during the holiday season.
Through years of research, we understand that sleep is of utmost importance to uphold a functioning society. Without sleep, it can be difficult for people to carry out day-to-day activities and maintain stable moods. So how do we protect our sleep during the holidays while still enjoying ourselves and our loved ones? Read below to see what factors could affect sleep and tips on how to survive the holidays through getting sufficient sleep.
Factors That Affect Sleep During the Holidays
If we know why sleep is so important, then how does it become so easy to forget about sleep during the holidays? Here are just some of the reasons people tend to sleep less during the holiday season:
Change in Routine
The holidays usually mean overcommitting ourselves to tasks and functions. We typically sign ourselves up for various events like hosting guests for dinner, attending charity events, and prepping for work parties – just to name a few. All of these additional events that differ from our normal day-to-day routine add hours to our already long days. This means starting our bedtime routine later than usual.
Added Anxiety
Unfortunately, sometimes festivities do come with added anxiety. Many people do not have the best relationships with their families and knowing that they will be around them can result in stress. People who are more introverted can have anxiety around the idea of being in so many group situations.
Anxiety is frequently connected to sleeping problems like falling or staying asleep. It can cause people to lay in bed ruminating over thoughts and not allowing the brain to relax enough to enter a sleeping state.
Financial Stress
Similar to anxiety, additional stress can make it difficult to sleep. Stress can also lead to overthinking or even side effects like overeating or overdrinking. During the holidays, there is pressure to give gifts to the ones we love which can be quite a financial burden for some.
According to LendingTree, 61% of people say that they dread the holidays due to needing to spend more money. An average of $602.95 is spent on winter gifts and this number increases to $850.38 for families with children. For families that are paycheck to paycheck, this can be a great amount of stress which can lead to disrupted sleep.
Holiday Foods
The types of food we eat right before bed can affect the quality of sleep we get. Increased alcohol and sweets consumption is typical during the holidays and consuming these right before bed can lead to less deep sleep and more arousals (times you wake up). With alcohol, studies show that people who drink before bed are prone to delayed sleep onset, meaning it can be harder for them to fall asleep entirely.
Overexposure to Lights
Who doesn’t love Christmas lights? With the holidays comes beautifully lit trees, homes trimmed with lights, and nearby buildings glowing. These are all extremely beautiful to look at, however, they can negatively impact sleep.
Darkness is essential to sleep. The absence of light is a natural sign to the body that it is time to rest, therefore, increased light will naturally disturb the body’s cues that it is time to sleep.
Tips to Sleep Better During the Holidays
Maintain a Schedule
This may sound like an extremely hard task to conquer when there is so much that needs to get done during holiday festivities, but regardless, it will benefit you to make the effort. This can mean small steps such as relaxing activities that can be done with the whole family to prepare everyone to sleep. Small choices like reading a story versus watching a movie can lead to less stimulation, making it easier to fall asleep closer to normal times.
Minimize Alcohol & Caffeine
Enjoying a cocktail, or two, with friends is something we all want to enjoy. Indulging in that cider or eggnog is also something that we do at holiday events. Our recommendation is simply not to overdo it and be mindful to stop drinking alcohol and caffeine a few hours before bed. This will allow the body to regulate a little and you can avoid delayed sleep onset to get true rest.
Avoid Overeating
Eating heavier meals means more work for your digestive system. With the fattier and more sugary foods that are usually eaten during the holidays, this can lead to indigestion. The discomfort of indigestion and acid reflux can make it difficult to fall asleep, creating a disruption in your much-needed sleep routine.
Feel free to enjoy your favorite foods during the holidays, but make sure that they are done a few hours before bed so that they do not negatively impact your sleep.
Turn Out the Lights
It pains us to say this one, but turn out those lights! Not only is it safer to make sure holiday lights are unplugged, but this also reduces the amount of light that seeps into your bedroom at night. This includes the lights outside around the house as well.
These lights are the ones closest to windows and can make the largest difference. The best plan of action is to turn on the lights when it gets dark for the family and neighbors to enjoy, and then right before bed, make sure they are off to protect your sleep quality. If turning off the lights is not something you are willing to do, it might be useful to invest in black-out curtains to maintain the darkness your body needs.
Get Your Exercise In
Getting a workout in is a healthy outlet to reduce anxiety and stress – which are common sleep disruptors. Working out is also a fantastic way to get rid of some excess energy you may have that could keep you up at night. Simple activities like walking around the block with the family to see holiday lights can help the whole family sleep better!
Sleep Doctor Jeannine Gingras in Charlotte, NC
If you or a loved one is experiencing difficulty with sleep this holiday season or even after, it is a good idea to speak with a sleep specialist. Dr. Gingras has been serving as medical director and sleep doctor at Gingras Sleep Medicine in North Carolina for decades. If you are looking for a certified and experienced sleep doctor, call us today at (704) 944-0562 or visit us at http://gingrassleepmedicine.com/.