Five Holiday Sleep Tips to Avoid Weight Gain and Stress

Don't mess with your sleep if you want to avoid holiday weight gain and stress this year. This last thing you should do is sacrifice your sleep just to enjoy holiday traditions. This will only backfire later, as disrupted sleep can ultimately affect your physical and mental health. Instead, sticking to your normal sleep schedule and getting a full night's rest is the best strategy to avoid the common symptoms sleep deprivation can bring. In addition, sleep deprivation only makes it easier to make poor decisions as it's harder to control your cravings as certain hormones are released.

The following are five tips designed to help you sleep better during the holidays to avoid extra weight gain and stress:

Avoid Food and Alcohol Before Bedtime

Set a cut-off time for food and alcohol. Ideally, this should be at least two or more hours before you go to bed. Digesting large meals or alcoholic beverages while you are sleeping slows down your metabolism and makes it harder to reach deep sleep. Food is fuel. If you eat too many calories, your body is smart and will store it for later. If you are going to eat more than you need and if you can't work off at least some of it before you get to bed, it's best to avoid it, or the food will be stored as fat to be used later.

Keep to Your Normal Sleep Schedule

Trying to change your sleep schedule during the holidays is a recipe for disaster. This is because adjusting your body clock will only create stress and make it difficult to fall asleep. On the other hand, sticking to your normal schedule sets you up for a deep and long night's sleep as your body is already used to it.

Control Your Portions and Daily Calorie Intake

Excess calories make it harder for your body to get to sleep even if you created a proper cut-off time. It would help if you only consumed as many calories as you plan on burning or using for it to work.

Enjoy Calming and Technology Free Down Time

Disconnect before you try to go to sleep. You can't expect your brain to go from active to nothing in an instant.

Take Breaks from Tossing and Turning

If you are unable to sleep, don't just lay there. Instead, after about 30 minutes, get out of bed and reset yourself. Instead of focusing on your worries and constantly tossing and turning, it is better to get out of bed and do something else. Don't get involved in anything that is too stimulating, however. Just enough to reset your brain and not think that sleeping is a stressful time. Breaking from worrying about things in bed tells your brain that this spot is only for relaxation.

Get more sleep during the holidays with these five tips to avoid gaining weight or dealing with increased symptoms of stress and anxiety. Sleep is vital to reconstructing and rejuvenating the mind, body, and soul. Without proper rest, you will continue to make poor decisions that prevent living a happy and healthy life.