Five Ways to Survive the Holiday Season Well-Rested

The period between the Thanksgiving and the end of December completely terrifies a lot of people.  Office parties, visiting relatives and holiday shopping can all create a huge amount of stress, and if that stress isn’t checked, it can keep you from getting the good night’s sleep you’ll need to keep rushing from here to there.  In fact, according to the 2010 SleepBetter.org Holiday Slumber Index, one in five Americans say they expect to lose sleep during the holiday season.

Here are our five tips to get through the next 45 days or so without passing out from sleep deprivation:

Keep your schedule: Even during the festive season, sleeping habits for adults should be as regular as possible. Try to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. Don’t spend your day off from work in bed or you won’t feel rested the next day.

Don’t over-indulge on alcohol: Take it easy with “holiday cheer.” Even though alcohol is a depressant and will help the body fall asleep, it will create problems during the second half of the sleep cycle, when the effects have worn off and a backlash effect occurs.

Don’t over-indulge on food: Going to bed on a full stomach is uncomfortable and can interrupt normal sleep patterns.

Just say no: We’ve already covered food and alcohol.  This one has to do with all of the extra things that are asked of us during the holiday season.  Sometimes you just don’t have the time to help plan your child’s school year-end party.  Over-scheduling leads to stress, and that’s what we’re trying to avoid.

Plan ahead: If you start planning for the holidays right now, you’ll likely have plenty of time to get everything done.  Don’t wait until the last minute to plan your meal or make that special homemade gift you’ve wanted to give your favorite aunt.  Starting early will significantly reduce your stress level.

Do you have any tips to keep stress free and sleep better this holiday season? If so, let us know in comments!