Is the holiday season the best time to sleep?

For many of us, do the Christmas holidays represent the opportunity to finally get some sleep? Heavy food, cold weather, fires, wood, relatives, the end of the year—all seem like valid reasons to indulge in some well-deserved rest. So why do we still find ourselves feeling exhausted? Despite the holidays for many of us being a time of quality sleep without time constraints, it's not a coincidence that this often coincides with a surprising level of fatigue. If tasks like getting up to find that novel you planned to read or making the next cup of hot tea seem exhausting, you're probably experiencing the classic end-of-year burnout. But why during this seemingly serene and peaceful period?

This month, filled with festivities, dinners, and preparations, as well as full of tension about the future and personal expectations, spares no one. Whether you love or loathe Christmas, family moments, or candles on decorated tables, these intense days are a test for everyone, often leaving us feeling exhausted. December, despite being a short month, is filled with commitments: from gifts to long lists of resolutions for the coming year. If you feel overwhelmed, know that you are not alone. However, don't worry: we have some tips to help you end the month peacefully and start the new year on the right foot.

Why are we more tired during the holidays?

Firstly, take your time to bask in the rest your body needs: in the initial days of vacation, it's quite common to feel more tired than usual as you slow down. "But I slept for 10 hours, how is it possible that I'm still tired?" This happens because with the release of stress, the body can finally register the long-standing sleep deprivation masked by the constantly released adrenaline stimulation. Holidays serve as an alarm bell for how much we need rest. Turn off your phone, close the shutters, and indulge in sleep without feeling guilty. If it's been a while since you felt completely rested, you might have forgotten what that feels like.

The more I sleep, the more tired I am

Sometimes, however, sleep is not enough, and despite getting long hours of rest, the result is feeling even more tired. In this case, it's clear that we're not dealing with sleep deprivation or the need for recovery but rather with poor sleep quality or an attempt to escape something we dislike and don't want to confront. Even in this case, the holidays will give us the right time to understand it and return to taking care of ourselves.

How to improve sleep quality during the Holidays

Now, some general advice on how to improve sleep quality during the holidays: fatigue after good sleep is different from fatigue caused by non-restful sleep. Here are some changes in our holiday routine that you probably also make during Christmas but may not be aware of their consequences on your sleep.

Avoid alcohol consumption

A company toast, a glass at dinner, or a pre-Christmas drink— you might be surprised to know that alcohol can affect your sleep for a certain period after consumption. Alcohol consumption interferes with melatonin, the hormone that makes us fall asleep, for the next five or seven nights. To minimize this effect, try to leave some time, ideally a few hours, between having a couple of alcoholic drinks and going to bed. And when you can, avoid drinking. Why not invite that person you like for a long walk in the cold to refresh yourselves with hot chocolate and a movie during this Christmas holiday?

Try to reduce the consumption of heavy foods

The holiday season is also a time when we tend to eat a bit more than usual. We also eat a wider variety of foods; some of which may not agree with our bodies. Discomfort in the digestive system can compromise sleep, with spicy foods like chili and others, but also a sugary dessert (or other high-sugar foods) just before bed can be a problem—leaving you with a "sugar rush" that can make you feel stimulated and not sleepy. That's why if you are sleep-deprived during the day and are looking for a boost, it's better to opt for complex carbohydrates—such as whole grain bread, for example—and proteins, like lean meat or cheese, rather than a sugary cake or chocolate bar.

Afternoon naps and changing routines

When you don't have to work and are freer from commitments, the order of your days can be compromised. We go to bed late, wake up very late, and often enjoy a pleasant nap in the afternoon. We often attribute an afternoon drop in attention to the effects of lunch, but it's actually a normal feature of our circadian rhythm—the biological clock that influences when we feel awake or sleepy. Without the pressure of a work deadline in the afternoon, or simply a more relaxed overall state, staying awake all day or avoiding going out with friends until late at night can be more challenging than during the rest of the year, and we can end up more tired due to disrupted or drastically reduced sleep schedules.

The best way to deal with these disruptions in the traditional routine is to try to recreate a different repeated rhythm of habits so as not to upset our bodies. And give yourself peace, hoping that you can go back to sleeping like a baby—or at least like an adult on a very happy holiday.