Did you know, on Christmas Eve, a fifth of adults will get less than 5 hours sleep and almost a third of adults start their Christmas day between 4 and 7 am? Well, you better believe it!

If you’re anything like us here at OHS HQ, your inner child comes out in full force on Christmas Eve and those of you with children will particularly suffer from lack of shut-eye, the night before Christmas being one of the hardest bedtimes to deal with.

So, how can you ensure you and your little ones have a good night’s sleep on Christmas Eve? Keep on reading to uncover our top tips and tricks on how to get to sleep on the most exciting night of the year and wake up feeling fresh…

1. Have a productive day

Get up early on the morning of Christmas Eve and make sure that you’re as productive as possible by making a checklist of your remaining festive tasks.

Hopefully, you’ve got all your gift wrapping out of the way and you can get cracking with peeling and chopping your veggies!

This will ensure that you’re both prepared for the big day and you’ve rid yourself of most of the energy that might keep you awake in the evening, sending you into a deep sleep.

2. Avoid caffeine and alcohol

Did you know that caffeine has a half-life of between 6 and 8 hours? Yes, that’s how long your beloved chai tea latte stays in your system after drinking it!

Whilst it’s making its way around your body, the caffeine stimulates all the nerves in your frontal lobes which wake your brain, boost adrenaline and block sleep-inducing chemicals.

Not only that, but caffeine also makes it more likely you’ll develop a headache and can make your heart rate heighten.

Alcohol has a negative impact during sleep as well so consider leaving ‘Santa’ a non-alcoholic alternative to brandy to sleep through and wake up feeling extra fresh.

 

3. Don't eat late night sugary snacks

We all enjoy treating ourselves to sweet treats (mince pies, anyone?) at Christmas time because, hey, it’s cold outside, you’re craving your favourite comfort food and the dieting can start in the new year!

But this can lead to several issues with falling and staying asleep as sugar can stimulate the body, unfortunately, so it’s important to make sure you keep an eye on how much sugar you and your children are consuming.

Perhaps choose a cut off time a few hours before bedtime and keep the sugary treats out of sight and reach after this time.

4. Limit your light exposure

As we mentioned in our recent post ‘How To Wind Down During Winter’, the melatonin hormone is produced by our bodies between an hour and two hours before we go to sleep.

However, it naturally becomes more difficult to fall asleep at night in the colder months as our melatonin levels aren’t suppressed during the day, since the clocks have gone back and there are fewer hours of sunlight.

Not to mention, our modern lifestyles, which consist of staring at a television screen, tablet or phone, cause the release of melatonin to be delayed due to the stimulant from the blue light on our screen.

So, we suggest resisting spamming social media leading up to Christmas, especially not Christmas Eve, and instead, opt for playing games with your family members, or frankly anything that doesn’t involve the screen!

If you’re not able to keep away, try to at least lower the brightness of the screen or better still, add a special screen protector.

5. Stick to a routine

This tip is likely far easier said than done when the time comes but it’s definitely worth sticking to as much of your everyday routine as you can, even if that means that on Christmas Eve, it takes a little longer or happens later than usual.

Should you anticipate your kid’s normal bedtime routine being different on Christmas Eve, if you’re staying with family or friends, for example, talk to them about how it’s going to differ and what they can expect.

Then try to get back to normality as soon as possible once the festivities have ended!


On the hunt for Christmas Eve box ideas? Head over to our recent post, 'The Ultimate Budget Christmas Gift Guide 2021' and browse the full OHS Christmas edit.

Whether you’re after a bougie faux fur rug or a super soft throw, we’ve got all the Christmas cheer and giftspiration you need - no matter the budget!

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram here for festive styling inspo, Christmas themed home hacks and much more...