The holiday season is quickly approaching and that means your days are soon to be overrun with holiday preparations. Between shopping, cooking, family visits and your office’s holiday party, sleep seems to be all but present. However, making sure you sleep soundly is a sure-fire way to guarantee that your holidays are truly memorable.
In the spirit of giving, Jacksonville Sleep Center wants to provide you with a few tips on how to optimize your sleep schedule this holiday season:
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Keep your normal sleep routine.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but the holidays can prove to be a hectic time for many of us and our sleep schedule tends to suffer. The more you deviate from your normal sleep schedule, the more tired you are likely to be. Make a conscious effort to stick to your normal bedtime and this consistency will pay off in the form of wakefulness and energy during the day.
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Don’t eat within two hours of going to bed.
Something we can all agree on is that turkey, ham, stuffing and pie are all delicious. However, eating your second plateful of dinner right before bed is an easy way to miss out on quality sleep. If you find yourself ravished before bedtime, try drinking a glass of milk. Milk contains L-tryptophan, an amino acid that could help you fall asleep faster.
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Avoid alcohol and caffeine before bed.
Enjoying a night cap or an after-dinner coffee is OK from time to time. However, these substances can diminish your quality of sleep when taken prior to bedtime. Caffeine, which can even be found in chocolatey treats, can make it difficult to fall asleep when you want to and alcohol can disrupt your sleep cycles and wake you up in the middle of the night.
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Your bedroom is your sanctuary.
It’s easy to let our bedrooms become overrun with gift-wrapping stations and online shopping sprees, but these are just distractions that can keep you from sleeping soundly. Keep your bedroom “sleep safe” by eliminating anything that could keep you up all night. This habit will ensure that you’ll begin to feel tired once you lay down in your bed at night.
Your physical and mental well-being is highly impacted by your sleep schedule and the quality of sleep you get each night. Maintaining healthy sleep habits will ensure that your holidays can be enjoyed to the fullest with no need for those mid-day naps.
If you find yourself stuck in a sleepy-haze or struggling with ongoing sleep issues this holiday season, contact the Jacksonville Sleep Center and schedule an appointment today. Dr. Nassar and the Dream Team are here to help. Call us at 904-854-6899.
