Christmas is fast approaching, and this naturally brings changes to our routines. Inevitably this can affect your little one’s sleep. Firstly, Christmas is all about being together and the memories we make, so don’t feel you have to be strict with your routines. Here I will be sharing with you some of my sleep tips for Christmas.
Plan quiet time and gentle exercise
Extra gatherings and parties are all part of Christmas, and these will make bedtimes slip. Try and plan your social calendars so it isn’t one thing after another. This will give you some calmer quiet time to recharge in between. Lack of sleep will just cause grumpy children and adults, and that isn’t on anyone’s festive agenda.
Go out for walks. It’s good to burn off the over excitement that children experience. It also gives you a break if your little one is getting over-stimulated by indoor activities.
Keep things as consistent as possible
Wherever you spend Christmas, make sure to take with you those home comforts that you use in your usual bedtime routines. A busy or unusual sleep environment will not promote calm sleep. Pack your child’s favourite comforter, their music or bedtime sounds, and if they have a sleeping bag at home, take it with you. If they have a dark room at home, make sure the space they sleep in is dark. Keeping consistency with every aspect of your home bedtime routine will really help.
Watch what you eat and drink
Another of my sleep tips is to limit extra sugar and caffeine before bedtime, because they won’t help you get a good night’s sleep. If your house is anything like ours, we seem to believe that because it’s Christmas we can eat far more snacks than at any other time of the year!
My biggest tip is to enjoy Christmas and make memories.
Foster a calm bedtime
Try and factor in some calm festive activities before bedtime. A busy mind is never helpful when falling into a deep sleep, so calm time is really important. Screen time is particularly over-stimulating before bed and can affect your little one’s quality of sleep.
Try as much as possible to keep the nap schedule the same, and try to avoid introducing the unwanted habits you wouldn’t normally allow. Your child may not nap as long as normal with everything going on. But some rest is a lot better than none at all and will help you avoid an over-tired child!
Enjoy yourself!
We can often find ourselves trying to please everyone else and stressing about getting everything done. Try to enjoy the festivities yourself; Christmas is whatever we make it. My biggest tip is to enjoy Christmas and make memories. Don’t spend the whole of Christmas day fighting over a nap, but instead go for a walk with the pram or try again later. Accept that Christmas throws things out of sync a bit but be mindful of the changes you make.
You might be interested in this blog post: 5 Top Sleep Products
For more tips and tricks for sleep make sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook or visit my website. www.thelittlecherrytreecompany.co.uk
Words by Christine Hadfield
