All I Want For Christmas... Is A Good Night's Sleep

It's the most wonderful time of the year! With sparkling lights reflecting off the frosted windows and the smell of mulled wine filling our homes, there's no better time to deck the halls (and our bedrooms). With festive decor, cosy chunky throws and fresh beautiful bedding, it's the perfect time to snuggle up with the family watching all our favourite Christmas films.

To make sure this season is the most joyful time of the year, the team at DUSK have come up with some top tips on how to sleep on Christmas Eve.  

DUSK Christmas Eve Sleep Tips

1 in 3 of us struggle with poor sleep and with stressful last-minute shopping trips and a lot of socialising, sleeping on Christmas Eve can be even more challenging. Sleep quality is essential to your well-being and physical health, so how can you make sure you wake up rested on Christmas morning? 

Switch Coffee For Hot Cocoa

Whilst a coffee on Christmas Eve morning can help you feel motivated to complete all your last-minute festive preparations, caffeine too late in the day will result in your Christmas sleep not being as restful as you would like it to be. 

A hot cocoa is a great festive drink that will help you have a serene night's sleep. The warm milk used to make this beautifully creamy hot cocoa is associated with feeling relaxed and is a lovely sugar free alternative to hot chocolate . 

Perfect Your Lighting Environment  

Melatonin is a natural hormone in your body that is highly associated with sleep. With dimmed lights comes increased melatonin levels and consequently you'll feel more tired and ready for sleep, while light exposure halts the production of the hormone. For this reason, the likes of smartphones, laptops and television can all hinder a good night's sleep. 

The blue light produced by your screens suppresses melatonin, which will hinder your sleep-wake cycle. So when Christmas comes around, opt for LED lighting, dim the living room lights to the perfect setting, turn off your devices, light some festive candles and get cosy underneath a throw with a hot chocolate. Spend the evening reading festive books to your children and having heart-warming conversations with your family - reminiscing on all your favourite Christmas memories.

Prepare a Snooze-Friendly Environment 

Creating a cosy bedroom is essential for a premium night's sleep. Making sure that your bedroom is clear of the Christmas clutter and filled with comfortable bedding and soft furnishings will help you create the perfect environment for sleeping during the winter. 

From choosing pillows that will give you complete comfort to a duvet to keep you warm, a comfortable bed is a must this festive season! 

 3 Benefits Of A Good Night's Sleep Around Christmas

Having a good night's sleep will help to make sure that you can enjoy all the joy that Christmas brings. To help you enjoy a peaceful festive season, DUSK have put together the top reasons that sleep is so important around Christmas time.

• Make This Christmas Memorable 

Sleep allows your mind to rest and a lack of sleep can affect your ability to learn and remember. The Christmas period is all about making new memories and while you're asleep, your brain converts short-term memories into long-term memories. This means that when you wake up, you can often see things more clearly which gives you that get-up-and-go attitude. 

• Have a Restful Christmas  

Feeling stressed around Christmas is normal. However, poor sleep can also make you feel more stressed than usual. A good night's sleep can help to relax the systems in your body that are creating the stress hormone, cortisol, so you'll wake up feeling refreshed and ready to enjoy Christmas Day. 

• Be Fully-Focused on the Big Day 

Energy levels improve with a rested night's sleep, which can help you keep a clear mind on Christmas Day so that you can be fully present and enjoy every moment. Not sleeping properly can affect your concentration and attention span, meaning you might find it harder to stay focused during the day. 

How To Get To Sleep On Christmas Eve

Having a good bedtime routine is a great way to let your mind know that you're getting ready to go to sleep. However, on Christmas Eve this routine can look a little different compared to the rest of the year. Even though Christmas films are a must on Christmas Eve and a small tipple won't do much harm, limiting the amount of TV you watch and what you drink a few hours before bedtime is essential for achieving a good night's sleep.

 

Sleeping In The Cold Weather 

When the nights turn dark and the temperature drops, a good night's sleep can become more of a struggle than usual. Studies have shown that the optimum temperature for sleeping lies between 15 - 22 degrees celsius. When the temperature is too cold, you're likely to spend more time tossing and turning trying to get comfortable than having a superior night‚Äôs sleep. 

Explore our DUSK top tips on getting a good night's sleep when the weather gets colder. 

Drink A Caffeine-Free Tea 

Having herbal tea before bed can warm you up and relax you, helping you sleep. Chamomile is a great option as it contains the antioxidant apigenin, which has great anxiety-reducing effects and is regarded as a sleep inducer. Simply sip your tea, relax and get cosy in your bed!

Soak In The Bath 

Having a relaxing soak in the bath or a hot shower before bed can help to raise the core temperature of your body. Lavender essential bath oils and body moisturiser will also help you to feel calm for a serene state of mind. Make sure you have some fluffy towels fresh from the tumble dryer for when you get out of the bath to make the whole experience feel a little more luxurious. 

Opt For Natural Fibres 

Using natural fibres such as 100% cotton for your bedding will help regulate your body temperature. The lightweight and breathable properties of natural cotton bedding will allow air circulation to get to your skin. It also feels luxuriously soft which makes for a truly comfortable night's sleep.

Make The Most Of Throws 

A great way to regulate your body temperature without adjusting the heating in your room is to cocoon yourself in luxurious throws. Layer different throws on top of your bed to help stay warm - they also have the additional benefit of making your bed look stylish and cosy!

Don’t Let The Draft Creep In

Make sure that your room is fully insulated, ensuring that there are no drafts creeping in through the windows or gaps in your bedroom door. Luxurious, thick curtains that fully cover your windows will help to keep the drafts out and the heat in, whilst also making your bedroom look and feel welcoming and snug.

Keep Your Bedding Clean

Winter weather also means cold and flu season! Regularly clean your bedding to make sure you keep the bugs at bay! Take a look at our cleaning guides to ensure your bedding continues to stay sumptuously soft wash after wash.

Give The Gift of Sleep This  Christmas

Knowing exactly what to give to your loved ones at Christmas can be a challenge‚ Whether you're buying for new homeowners, or someone who loves a cosy blanket, luxury bed linen and beautiful throws are a great way to treat someone special this holiday season. 

Discover more tips on how to achieve the best night's sleep with our DUSK guides, or for styling inspiration head over to our Christmas blog.