December 14th means one thing... we're officially 11 days away from Christmas and well and truly into the swing of the silly season. As we all begin setting our automatic 'out of office' reminders and take a big deep breath on the year that was, many of us might be looking forward to the festive parties and bulk sleep-ins that approach us. But, with this lax in our everyday routine could your festive fiestas be wreaking havoc on your sleeping pattern and overall wellbeing?
And before you say it...we know what your thinking, more sleep opportunities and a more flexible timetable means for better sleep, right? Unfortunately, if you were on a game show, it's about now that we'd press the big red, bah bow button...A common myth, sleeping more and attempting to catch up on poor sleep over the Christmas break, doesn't pay dividends. Researchers from the University of Colorado found that weekday sleep loss had negative effects on people's metabolism and trying to catch up over slower periods only confused our natural body clocks more! Study author Kenneth Wright explained rather simply that "if you want to lead a healthy lifestyle, it has to include good, consistent sleep habits."
Game Show Question Two: So, how do we navigate the variables of the silly season to ensure we remain our healthiest?
Correct Answer: You read the below journal entry and equip yourself with the best deep sleep tips to ensure you remain well-rested this season, (of course)!
Deep Sleep Tips
Let's jump straight into the good stuff, tips on getting the best deep sleep.
Avoid alcohol (where you can): The first one might be a little tricky because sometimes, there nothing more satisfying than hearing the chinking of wine glasses as you 'cheers!' to Christmas. Unfortunately, alcohol is one of the most significant disruptors to sleep, and while it may help induce sleep, it blocks our ability to fall into REM where critical healing and restoration occurs. Medical director at The London Sleep Centre, Dr Irshaad Ebrahim also explained “alcohol suppresses breathing and can precipitate sleep apnea,” which are pauses in our natural breathing. But it's not all bad news, "One to two standard drinks seem to have minimal effects on sleep" says Ebrahim. If you're looking to indulge in a wine or few, try and match your water to booze ratio, set yourself a clear cut off time and avoid drinking at least 3 hours before your head hits the pillow.
Skip the late-night binge: While some foods are fine to consume before bedtime, many of our most treasured Christmas indulgences can aggravate conditions like heartburn, indigestion, and acid reflux. Much like alcohol, we suggest opting for an early dinner/dessert to allow for optimal digestion time and to avoid consuming foods like chocolate, ice cream, cheese, spicy food (hello heartburn) and even tomatoes (they're super acidic!) at least 2 hours before bed.
Create a restful sleeping environment: At the risk of sounding like a Scrooge, Christmas lights, music and movies can disrupt an optimal sleeping environment. We suggest that you turn off your Christmas music and lights before bed so that you don't have a flashing rainbow of colour distract you from getting into the sleep zone!
Embrace the digital detox!: A great thing to come from the Christmas period is a forced switch off of work and third part stressors that keep us up at night. Try embracing the fact that your emails are quieter than usual and keep your screen time to a minimum, particularly before bed!
The Best Products to Help You Sleep
If you're planning to use the Christmas period to on hit refresh on your sleeping patterns and recharge your body, check out our entire range of easy to use, sleep assisting products, to ensure you make the most of your time off.
Some of our cult-favourite, sleep igniting tools include our Deep Sleep Kit, which bundles our best sleep inviting products like our 100% natural Deep Sleep Drops, Goodnight Essential Oil Roll-On and Sweet Dreams Sleep Mist.
If your Christmas lights must stay on at all hours (Santa we know you need these to find us!) our easy light-blocking Silk Sleep Masks help eliminate sensory distractions and protect the delicate skin around our eyes, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines!
Don't stop at your eyes!
If you love the benefits of our Silk Sleep Masks pair them with a Silk Pillowcase. Beyond bringing 5-star luxury home, the benefits of sleeping on a silk pillowcase include, minimising hair frizz, allowing your skin to breathe and promoting hydration thanks to the naturally smooth fibres in silk... it's even got the dermatological tick of approval!
Essential Oils for Stress & Sleep
One of our absolute favourite wind down enhancers is our range of essential oils. Great for both sleep and tackling symptoms of stress, we particularly can't go past our Goodnight Blend Essential Oils which are comprised of nine essential oils designed to calm the nervous system and reduce stress. The best part? You can diffuse this aromatic beauty in the lounge room at night and support your entire family as they drift into the snooze zone!
Four more ways to use our Essential Oil Blends:
- Bathe – add a few drops to your bath to relax the mind & body before bed
- Laundry – add a few drops to your machine when washing your bedsheets
- Inhale – rub a few drops in your hand for instant support
- Topically – apply to pulse points when you’re on the go using our Essential Oil Roll-Ons
From The Goodnight Co. team, we wish you a relaxing and restful Christmas!
