How to manage my sleep over the festive period.

Perhaps, take some time off the program for a couple of days and just enjoy yourself. Yes, alcohol and rich food affects our sleep, most people will not sleep well over Christmas so it is worth understanding that you’re not alone.

A few tricks: If you’re having alcohol - the earlier you drink (within reason) the better. If you can stop drinking many hours before you go to bed, the less it will affect your sleep. The other thing about alcohol is, instead of drinking for two weeks, pre-empt it by setting yourself limits, ‘I’m only going to only drink on Christmas day and Boxing day’ for example, so you already have your days set out when you can have your treats. This is rather than having a little bit to drink every night or every second night, which is a harder routine to break.

Maintain that routine - try and stay consistent with your rise time every day, get yourself outside for an hour if you can, get light exposure. If you do these things consistently over the festive period, the readjustment to the program won’t be as bad. Often people can use Christmas and other holidays as an excuse to lie in, not have any outdoors time. Your body loves regulation. It doesn’t matter how badly you sleep, if you are waking up at the same time everyday, getting outside, getting your heart rate up, eating your meals at the same time every day (even if the actual food changes), you will be in a better position. You will feel better because often our moods dip between Christmas and the New Year, so concentrate on regulation. Don’t worry about one bad nights sleep and how it makes you feel, because that doesn’t actually have a bigger impact than napping during the day, snoozing and lying in.