'Tis the Season… for Sleepless Nights? Holiday Sleep Survival Guide

From shopping for gifts to hosting family dinners and meeting end-of-year deadlines, holiday stress can take a toll on your sleep. Stress triggers the release of cortisol, a hormone that keeps your body alert, which can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Sleep Tip: Manage stress by carving out time for relaxation. Try deep breathing, meditation, or even a short walk outside to clear your mind. Creating a calming bedtime routine—like reading a book or listening to soft music—can help signal to your body that it’s time to wind down.

The holidays often mean disrupted routines. You might stay up later than usual, sleep in more, or skip your regular exercise. While it’s tempting to throw routines out the window, irregular sleep schedules can confuse your body’s internal clock (your circadian rhythm), making it harder to get quality sleep.

Sleep Tip: Try to maintain a consistent sleep schedule whenever possible. Go to bed and wake up at the same time, even on weekends or during family gatherings. Even if you stay up late for a holiday party, resist the urge to sleep excessively the next morning—a short nap in the afternoon can help you catch up instead.

Holiday meals are often rich, heavy, and high in sugar—think desserts, casseroles, and festive treats. While delicious, these foods can wreak havoc on your sleep. Large, fatty meals can cause indigestion, while sugary foods can give you energy spikes that keep you awake.

Sleep Tip: Enjoy holiday treats in moderation, and try to avoid heavy meals or sugary snacks close to bedtime. Opt for lighter foods in the evening, and consider adding sleep-friendly options like turkey (which contains sleep-inducing tryptophan), nuts, or a warm cup of herbal tea.

Many holiday gatherings include alcohol—whether it’s a glass of wine, a holiday cocktail, or a champagne toast. While alcohol might make you feel sleepy initially, it disrupts your sleep cycle later in the night, leading to poor-quality, fragmented sleep.

Sleep Tip: If you plan to drink, do so earlier in the evening and in moderation. Pair alcoholic beverages with water to stay hydrated, and avoid alcohol completely within a few hours of bedtime to allow for better rest.

Holiday festivities often mean staying up later than usual—especially on nights like New Year’s Eve. While the occasional late night is fine, it can throw off your sleep schedule and leave you feeling groggy the next day.

Sleep Tip: After a late night, avoid oversleeping the next morning. Instead, stick to your regular wake-up time and take a short (20-30 minute) nap during the day if needed. Exposing yourself to natural sunlight in the morning can also help reset your internal clock.

Travel is often part of the holiday season, whether you’re visiting family or taking a vacation. However, travel can bring jet lag, unfamiliar sleeping environments, and irregular schedules, all of which can disrupt your sleep.

Sleep Tip: If traveling across time zones, try to gradually adjust your sleep schedule a few days before departure. Bring along sleep essentials like an eye mask, earplugs, and a comfortable pillow to create a restful sleep environment wherever you are.

If snoring or sleep apnea is already affecting your sleep, the added disruptions of the holiday season can make matters worse. Untreated sleep apnea can leave you feeling fatigued, irritable, and unable to fully enjoy holiday activities with your loved ones.

The Solution: At Daybreak, we make improving your sleep simple and convenient. Our fully at-home sleep apnea testing and treatment solutions allow you to get diagnosed and treated from the comfort of your home. For those who qualify, our FDA-cleared, custom-made oral appliances provide an effective and discreet way to address snoring and sleep apnea so you can wake up refreshed and ready to enjoy the season.

This holiday season, prioritize your sleep—it’s one of the best gifts you can give yourself. By managing stress, maintaining routines, watching what you eat and drink, and addressing any underlying sleep issues like sleep apnea, you can enjoy the holidays without sacrificing your rest.