From Christmas parties to family gatherings and the big day itself, the festive season can play havoc with our routine and in turn, our sleep.

So, if you’re worried about feeling tired over the Christmas period, here are some tips to help you maintain your energy levels, even when sleep is a little harder to come by!

1. Accept your sleep may be disturbed if you have people staying over, or you are staying elsewhere, and remember this is temporary. Things will go back to normal after Christmas, so try to enjoy the ‘chaos’!

2. Watch your alcohol intake. Alcohol disrupts our sleep, causing us to have less restorative sleep. So, try and minimise how much you’re drinking where possible. I have a full blog post on this, so give it a read if you would like more information.

3. Try you manage your stress levels and reduce the pressure you’re putting on yourself. As lovely as Christmas is, it can also be a stressful time. So, if you’re feeling stressed, just grab a pen and paper and write everything down. This is a therapeutic way of saying to your mind, I’m listening and will help to quieten down any stressful thoughts in the night.

4. Stay in the moment. Find time to breathe and ground yourself in the moment using your senses. What can you see? What can you smell? Enjoy taking in the festivities around you and free any negative thoughts from your mind rather than worrying about the future.

5. Avoid going to bed too early and waking up too late, as this will reduce your sleep drive. So, try to go to bed a little later and set an alarm for a good time in the morning. However, if you do have the odd night here and there where you fall off track, don’t worry and remember this can be fixed once life calms down!