How to manage your sleep schedule during the holiday season
The holidays are an exciting time for most, but they can also be a cause of stress and anxiety. Financial pressures, family commitments, and holiday preparations can take a toll on mental health, focus, and even sleep.
According to a survey by Sleepopolis, 81% of people are more stressed during the holiday season and 30% of people say they get less sleep for the holidays.
“Because of the money crunch. You know, it’s hard to make a living, let alone try to buy presents for everybody,” said Valerie Wolfer. She says she has a hard time falling asleep especially this time of year.
Wolfer says she's up at night, constantly thinking if she has enough money to buy presents for her grandkids.
“I go to bed thinking about it and I wake up thinking about it. I toss and turn about it. You know it’s just stress, you know it's very stressful," Wolfer said.
Amid the festive chaos, Dr. Liz Diaz-Querol at Kaiser Permanente says there are steps you can take to find relief. She recommends eating dinner earlier, staying away from electronics at least an hour before bedtime and simply finding ways to recharge throughout the day.
"Let's just say you have a busy night tonight. I'll try to maybe take a short nap, no more than an hour next day, and try to stick to your regular sleep pattern if you know you won’t be doing anything outside,” Diaz-Querol said.
She also recommends not using sleep medication, which says can create an unstable sleep schedule. Instead you can meditate and use self-acupressure which is applying pressure to specific points on the body to promote relaxation.
