How to sleep on Christmas Eve

Hoping for a silent night on Christmas Eve?

You’re not the only one.

It’s an exciting time – not just for children, but for adults too. And that excitement can make it very difficult to fall asleep. Kids who still ‘believe’ can be tricky to settle come bedtime and, in a recent survey, it was found that 1 in 5 adults get less than five hours sleep the night before the big day.

But who wants to be tired and cranky on the 25th? It’s important for the whole family to get some quality sleep. And here, our in-house experts offer a few ‘Christmas Eve sleeping tips’ to help.

5 tips to help you fall asleep on Christmas Eve

1. Get organised

Stress can have a hugely negative impact on your sleep – and part of the reason why adults find it so difficult to drift off is due to ‘Christmas Day jitters’. Did you buy enough food to feed everyone? Have you remembered to wrap all the presents? When will you need to start cooking the turkey?

If your mind is racing, sleep will be impossible. So, try to get organised. Wrap gifts well in advance of Christmas Eve. Make a list of everything you’ll need for dinner and order these online for delivery. You could even write a schedule, so you know exactly what needs to be done, and when.

That way, you’ll feel less anxious when heading to bed and are much more likely to catch some z’s.

2. Tire everyone out

As tempting as it may be to snuggle up watching Christmas films, it’s important to stay active throughout the day. Set an alarm and get up early on Christmas Eve. Do your last-minute preparations in the morning. Then, take the family outside into the fresh air for some exercise.

Perhaps you could go on a long walk in the woods to try and spot a reindeer? Or if we’re lucky enough to have a white Christmas, build a snowman in the garden. The key is to make sure both you and the kids are completely worn out, and ready to sleep like a baby come bedtime.

3. Limit sweet treats

Christmas is a time for sweet festive treats. But those treats are usually full of sugar and can significantly interrupt your sleep pattern. So, it’s important to be mindful about what you and the kids are eating (and when!). Our suggestion is to have a hearty meal on the table for around 5pm and set a 6pm cut-off for all sugary snacks. And that’s for the whole family, not just the kids!

If anyone is feeling hungry after this, ditch the chocolates in favour of a slice of toast and warm milk.

4. Wrap up the festive traditions early

To avoid over-excitement just before bedtime, it’s a good idea to get all the usual ‘Christmas Eve traditions’ done a bit earlier. For example, you could hang stockings and put out treats for Santa in the afternoon? Or you could give the kids some new ‘sleep-promoting’ pyjamas in the early-evening? This will help to release some adrenaline and start to get them settled for the night.

Another idea is to track Santa online using the ‘Google Santa Tracker’. Check his whereabouts about an hour before bedtime and remind them of how they must be asleep before he gets too close.

5. Stick to the usual routine

Last but not least, try to maintain your usual bedtime routine.

The kids will want to stay awake as long as possible, hoping to catch a sneaky glimpse of the big red guy. But changing their bedtime will both make it more difficult for them to fall asleep and disrupt their circadian rhythm. So, if it’s usually ‘bath, book and bed’ at 7pm, make sure it stays that way.

You should also practice what you preach. It can be tough to get children to settle if they know you’re staying up late yourself. Plus, to ensure you’re fresh and ready for the big day, you need to get at least seven hours. So once their presents have been laid out, be sure to hit the hay.

Get in touch with our experts

If you’d like further tips on how to fall asleep on Christmas Eve, please feel free to get in touch at any time. Sleep is our area of expertise, here at Dreamers Bed Centre, and we’re always happy to offer advise – both on the best ways to ensure you drift off (regardless of your excitement levels) and the best mattresses and beds to promote a good night’s sleep for you and the family.

To speak to one of our in-house specialists, simply give us a call on 01942 275 464 or send an email to info@dreamersbedcentre.co.uk and we’ll respond to your enquiry as soon as possible.