The most fantastic time of the year is upon us, and we are getting ready to celebrate Christmas and the New Year! With the holiday season quickly approaching we may feel the urge to overdo things just a little bit, whether with decorations, food, or indulging in that festive spirit such as rum and eggnog.
All the activities and celebrations can strain our bodies and result in missed sleep needed to ensure that we are the best possible form of ourselves. We must take care of ourselves over the holiday season because no one else can do it for us. To make this easier for you to accomplish here are a few Snore MD tips to carry you through this holiday season.
Maintain a Healthy Sleep Routine and Environment
With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it’s not easy to stick to our everyday routines. It is essential to make the extra effort to get the recommended 8 hours of sleep a night that our bodies need. I know this is easier said than done as studies show that 38% of us are getting less than 5-6 hours of sleep per night during the holidays. Making the conscious effort to maintain a structured sleep schedule is the first step in ensuring our bodies are getting what they need.
Stay within an hour of your usual sleep and wake times to ensure that you are in tip-top shape throughout December.
Ensure that your place of sleep is reserved for exactly that. You can do this by removing any electronics, setting a comfortable room temperature, fresh clean bedding appropriate for this time of year, and avoiding any extra late-night snacks and festive beverages.
Manage What You are Consuming
Over the holidays, there are many different sweet treats and drinks that will cross our paths. Overindulging in sugary foods and drinks before bed, such as eggnog, can hurt our sleep. Although we do not need to eliminate them from our diet, we want to be cautious with how many treats we consume.
Being intentional of our sugar intake and considering options that have reduced sugar whenever possible is best practice. The holidays are known for their abundance of festive food and drinks, and we are all guilty of overindulging from time to time, however, to ensure that we get the best possible sleep we need to maintain balance with our eating and drinking.
Higher blood sugar levels can lead to poor sleep.
Maintain Regular Physical Activity
Following these tips may not seem easy over the Christmas rush, but something as simple as going for a walk or run will help you stay happy and healthy throughout this holiday season.
Not only does physical activity help you maintain your physical well-being and your mental health, it is a great way to clear your head of the holiday stressors. Regular physical activity during the festive season can also help with the extra treat or two that you may have indulged in along the way and provide you with the best outcomes for the upcoming new year!
Enjoy Some Fresh Air
Spending some time outside, whether going for a walk or playing in the snow with your family and friends, will help your body maintain a healthy circadian rhythm, which will help lead to a healthier night of restorative sleep. What better time than now to get out there and have some fun?
Be Aware of the Seasonal Stressors
The Christmas season can be an added stressor to our already difficult to manage hustle and bustle schedules, especially now that we are starting to get back to our more familiar routines of Christmas parties and family functions.
Stress can prevent us from getting the much-needed deep sleep that helps our bodies to recover. To help eliminate unnecessary stress, start planning. Use lists where you can and stick to them even Santa uses a list to keep himself organized and so should we.
By getting things on paper, we can focus on the importance of our families and friends and have a joyful holiday season.
Set yourself a budget for Christmas shopping and stick to it. Over spending only leaves us feeling more stressed and that will certainly impact your quality of sleep and the enjoyment that comes with spending time with our loved ones over the holiday season.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our family to yours!
At Snore MD, quality sleep is our passion. We hope you have a beautiful holiday season filled with love and great sleep from our family to yours! If you or a loved one would like to learn more about how Snore MD can help you get the best sleep possible, please stop into one of our sleep clinics.
