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How to Get Good Sleep on Christmas Eve

For some of us, no matter how old we are, sleep is elusive on Christmas Eve. It’s like there’s still some part of us that wants to stay up and wait for Santa to climb down the chimney.

Nothing wrong with that—childlike wonder is never outdated. Unfortunately, all too often adulthood brings with it stresses and worries that keep us up with less pleasant preoccupations.

Either way, we’ve learned that sadly, we can’t quite manage those sleepless nights like we used to and lack of sleep is likely to put a damper on the next day’s festivities.

So how can we get good sleep on Christmas Eve and fully enjoy one of the best days of the year with full joy and energy?

Here are seven tips that might help:

  1. Plan ahead & delegate in the previous days. Nothing stomps on sleep like the stress of last-minute crisis management…unless you’re one of those rare people who actually enjoys that sort of thing. (In which case, more power to ya!) So often we get overwhelmed with everything we need to/would like to do around the holidays and if everyone pitches in to help with cooking, wrapping, decorating, cleaning, etc., everybody can have a manageable to-do list. And when Christmas Eve rolls around, everything is done and no one has to carry a stressful preparation burden.
  2. Along those same lines, set yourself up to do something fun with family or friends during the day on Christmas Eve, and relish that bright holiday spirit. Exercise during the day too, to blow off some steam!
  3. Eat sleepy foods, like turkey or mashed potatoes, and drink calming beverages. (Sorry no, we don’t mean spiked eggnog, although that could be fun…) Drinks such as warm milk or chamomile tea induce sleepiness and relaxation.
  4. Plan to go to bed at a decent hour. Make sure you’re under the covers at least by midnight (10 or 11 would be better), as staying up too late can negatively impact sleep quality.
  5. Make sure everyone else is in bed, too—or at least keeping it down. A peaceful, dark and quiet environment helps a lot with sleep.
  6. Take a warm bath before bed to calm away the excitement and activity of the season. Far better to enjoy those things well-rested the next morning.
  7. If your mind is still busy, try reading yourself to sleep and avoid blue light from tablet, cell phone or TV.

If you still can’t sleep from thinking about ol’ Saint Nick or the kids’ squeals in the morning, well, we can’t help you. But in the broad scheme of things, it’s probably OK. 😉 With any luck, you’ll be so full of love, joy and peace that you’ll sleep like a baby on Christmas night.

Happy Holidays and as always—sleep tight, Urbanites!