4 Ideas to Enhance Sleep Quality During the Hectic Holiday Season

1. Sleep affects almost every tissue and body system, so be sure to get enough of it.

It’s easy to forget that other parts of your body are hard at work while you’re in an unconscious state. But when you’re asleep, your brain acts like a waste management system.

The brain goes into housekeeping mode, removing toxins that build up while you’re awake.¹ Your brain cells also shrink to make the process more effective.¹ Research links a buildup of these toxins to neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, underscoring the importance of getting enough good sleep each night.¹

Beyond the brain, sleep impacts the heart, lungs, immune system, metabolism, and disease resistance. If you’re one to put off rest, then remember it will eventually catch up to you. A chronic lack of sleep increases the risk of disorders like high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, weight gain, and depression.

A lack of shuteye can impact you in the short term, too. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, staying awake too long can make you feel intoxicated even if you haven’t had any alcohol.

Staying awake for 17 hours straight can feel similar to having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05 percent (the level where drinkers feel uninhibited and less alert).² An “all-nighter,” or staying up for 24 hours, can give you the feeling of a 0.10 percent BAC (the level where drinkers have slower reaction times, slurred speech, and a lack of coordination and balance).² Whatever your reason for staying up, do so responsibly.

2. Exercising before bed can improve your sleep quality.

One of the best things you can do to improve your overall sleep quality? Exercise.

Although there is no question that fitness helps, there is a lot of debate about whether timing matters. Historically, experts have recommended avoiding exercise just before bed because it raises your heart rate, body temperature, and adrenaline levels – all counterproductive to sleeping.³ However, several studies over the last few years have shown exercising before bed doesn’t impact sleep quality.⁴

One meta-analysis looked at 23 studies that compared adults who exercised within four hours of going to bed to those who didn’t.⁴ Researchers found that engaging in low and moderate exercise within four hours of sleeping did not negatively impact sleep but, rather, improved the amount of time a person spent in slow-wave sleep, also known as stage 3 sleep.⁴ This is the most restorative phase, and it is crucial for physical recovery.

But researchers did find one key exception: completing a high-intensity workout within an hour before bed.⁴ This is because your heart rate is still elevated after an hour, so your body isn’t yet ready to settle down for the night.⁴ So, keep it low-to-moderate and not right before you hop into bed.

Night workouts can be a calming activity and a great way to end the day, but if sweating it out amps you up, try doing it earlier in the day.

Another perk of exercising besides improved sleep? It can also help you manage your weight during the holidays.

3. Slumber parties aren’t just for kids. (In fact, they should probably stay in their own beds.)

Although it might sound counterintuitive (especially given the rise of “sleep divorce” where couples choose to sleep in separate beds), but sharing a bed with a partner or spouse might help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

A 2022 study out of the University of Arizona used data from the Sleep and Health Activity, Diet, Environment, and Socialization (SHADES) study that looked at working-age adults in Pennsylvania. Participants reported bed sharing (including with children and pets) and overall relationship satisfaction. Sleep quality, mental health, and life/relationship satisfaction were measured with surveys and common scientific tools, such as the Insomnia Severity Index and Epworth Sleepiness Scale.

Compared to individuals who never share a bed, those who slept in the same bed with their partner most nights experienced a whole host of benefits in the study, including:⁵

1. Less severe insomnia
2. Less fatigue
3. Less risk of sleep apnea
4. Falling asleep faster
5. Staying asleep longer

Sleeping with a partner also was associated with lower scores of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as greater life/relationship satisfaction.⁵

Unsurprisingly, these findings did not hold up for those who slept in the same bed as their child most nights.⁵ This group experienced greater insomnia severity and less control over their sleep.⁵

Another study analyzed 12 young heterosexual couples’ sleep quality in a laboratory over the course of four nights. Researchers assessed with questionnaires and dual simultaneous polysomnography (a scientific method that measures many markers of sleep). Couples slept individually and in the same bed. When sharing a bed, couples had an increase in rapid eye-movement (REM) sleep with fewer disruptions than when they slept apart.⁶

Although the holidays can put you in close quarters with several family members at bedtime, you now have research to back your need for a child-free sleep space.

4. Can’t fall asleep? A bedtime snack might help.

If you enjoy a late dinner or snack right before bed, you’ve probably heard that doing so can lead to weight gain and be hard on digestion (even sometimes causing acid reflux). However, strategic snacking might help you fall asleep faster.

A few studies suggest kiwi fruit – which are loaded with antioxidants, flavonoids, and even contains serotonin – might improve sleep quality.⁷

In a 2011 study, 24 participants (about half had self-reported issues associated with sleep disorders) ate two kiwi fruit one hour before bed for four weeks. Assessments were done with a subjective questionnaire/sleep diary and a wristwatch-type device that assessed sleep factors, including time to fall asleep.

A significant increase in sleep duration and a significant decrease in sleep onset (the time it takes to fall asleep) were noted.⁷ However, the researchers emphasized the need for further study.

Not a fan of kiwis? Serotonin helps with sleep because it gets converted to melatonin. Foods high in melatonin include eggs, fish, nuts, and mushrooms.⁸

Another popular option is the plant chamomile. Used for thousands of years, many people today drink chamomile tea before bedtime to promote feelings of sleepiness and ease into the transition toward sleep. Chamomile has apigenin, a compound that promotes muscle relaxation.

Finally, some other foods you can add into your evening snacking routine include: