How To Get Back on Your Sleep Schedule After New Year's Eve

So now that the Christmas celebrations are over and the New Year's celebrations have ended, it's time for many of us to start resetting our alarms for the Monday morning wake-up. Our sleep patterns frequently go out of whack during the holidays and the new year. Most of us stayed up later and slept longer because we had at least some time off from work. Thus, the idea of returning to our regular schedules, which include getting up at 7 am (or earlier) to go to work, is disturbing.

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Additionally, it's not just the late hours that have been disrupting our sleep; it's also the increased alcohol consumption and calorie-dense meals that frequently accompany holiday socializing. The conclusion of the holiday season can also cause those Sunday night anxiety sensations to reappear, and this is much more common than you might imagine.

Here are some suggestions to get your sleep schedule back on track so you can get the best sleep possible.

1.   Get Back on Track with Your Routine

Start by re-establishing your routine. Make a conscious effort to establish a regular sleep plan to get to bed at the appropriate time each night. Regardless of how well you slept, go to bed and wake up at approximately the same time. At first, you might find yourself sleeping even less every night than in holidays. But to allow your body to reset its rhythms, it is crucial to be consistent throughout the week1. You'll eventually find it easy to go to sleep and wake up on time.

2.   Make Sure to Make Up for The Weekend

If you frequently stay up late on Friday nights, aim to get an earlier night on Saturday. This will help your body gradually return to a better sleep schedule before the start of the workweek. To better prepare for Monday morning, go to bed an hour earlier than usual if you have trouble getting back into a routine before Sunday.

3.   Watch Your Exposure to Light

Planning your exposure to light is one of the best methods to improve your sleep routine. In contrast, incorrect light exposure can lead to various sleep issues, even though the light has the potential to disturb your circadian rhythm. But if you manage it properly, it will help you maintain your desired sleep pattern by resetting your daily circadian rhythm. What you should do is:

  • After waking up, bask in the sunlight (or artificial bright light): Exposing yourself to light in the morning can aid awakening. Your brain stops making the hormone that promotes sleep, melatonin when you are exposed to light2. As a result, you become receptive and aware. The quality of your nighttime sleep can also be improved by bright light. A 1993 study found that bright light therapy increased sleep efficiency and decreased sleep fragmentation3. Consider opening the curtains, going for a walk, or resting on the porch in the morning.
  • Stay away from light in the hours before bed: Ninety minutes before bedtime, turn down the lights and put on blue-light-blocking glasses. For persons with delayed sleep phase syndrome, research shows that limiting light in the evening and exposing them to bright light in the morning resulted in earlier sleep and wake times4.
  • Make sure that light doesn't ruin your night: Use blackout shades and an eye mask to make your bedroom as dark as possible. Use your phone's flashlight if you need to use the restroom in the middle of the night rather than turning on the bright overhead lights.

4.   Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise improves sleep, especially when done outside, and it is a technique to adjust your internal clock5. Your biological clock is connected to most of your tissues, including skeletal muscle. Therefore, your muscle reacts by lining up your circadian rhythm when you exercise. By encouraging the creation of melatonin, exercise also improves your sleep quality. Numerous studies have shown the favorable effects of exercise on sleep quality6. The quantity of slow-wave sleep (deep sleep), which is essential for rebuilding and restoring the body and brain as you sleep, increases with aerobic exercise.

Moderate aerobic exercise for 30 minutes may help you sleep better that night. However, regular exercise will yield the best outcomes. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise five times a week, at the very least.

But pay attention to when you work out. Exercising before bed will postpone the time your body wants to sleep because of the increased heart rate and body temperature you feel during and after a workout. Exercise at least one to two hours before bed if you want to do it at night7.

5.   Establish a Calming Bedtime Routine

Going straight from your regular routine to bed is not always simple. Your body requires time to unwind and adjust before it is prepared to fall asleep. Avoid using your phone or working right up to bedtime. Instead, establish a calming bedtime routine with Harmony's Sleepy Time Gift Set.

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This sleepy time gift set guarantees peaceful sleep. It is a combination of four items that combines the benefits of magnesium and lavender. It consists of

  • Magnesium Good Night Melatonin Body Lotion 
  • Good Night Essential Oil
  • Bodytox Lavender Sleep Patches 
  • Harmony's Lavender Ear Candles 

Magnesium Good Night Melatonin Body Lotion 

Magnesium Good Night Melatonin Body Lotion is excellent for a sleep routine, and melatonin in it also improves sleep8. The ritual of applying lotion can help you relax, but magnesium can also enter your system topically and calm your muscles, allowing you to relax physically and fall asleep9. Magnesium aids in a decrease in tiredness and exhaustion, which enhances better sleep and recovery. Almond oil in it also possesses hepatotoxic and anti-anxiety effects, which help improve sleep10.

Harmony's Good Night Essential Oil

Harmony's Good Night Essential Oil includes lavender and patchouli oil. It is an aromatherapy for stress reduction11. It entails inhaling the fragrance of essential oils to advance overall health and well-being. It promotes relaxation, eases stress and anxiety, helps with sleep and improves sleep quality, and its aroma acts as an antidepressant.

Lavender oil has been used for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes for ages. Lavender oil's calming and anti-depressive properties have been utilized extensively for various purposes12. Patchouli essential oil aids in calming and harmonizing your body's numerous psychological and neurological processes. These oils boost blood flow and stress-relieving chemicals13, which may help you sleep peacefully.

Bodytox Lavender Sleep Patches

Bodytox Lavender Sleep Patches can assist you in unwinding, reducing stress, and drifting off to sleep. Bodytox lavender sleep patches are a calming product made with organic components to aid in the body's relaxation so that you can have a peaceful night's sleep free from interruptions and discomfort. Sleep patches remove harmful pollutants from the body, promote sound sleep, boost vitality, and advance general health and well-being14.

Harmony's Lavender Ear Candles

Harmony's Lavender Ear Candles are made of many common substances essential to your life. The three most crucial ones are lavender essential oil, food-grade wax, and organic cotton fabric. We work with the best wax that the world has to offer. Its dual covering gives you added security and prevents potential burn risks. These candles provide eventual relaxation while detoxifying your body.

Directions To Use Sleepy Time Kit

Firstly, inhale a few breaths of Good Night Essential Oil.  Draw a deep breath in. Then, apply Magnesium Body Lotion on your skin and gently massage it. You can then enjoy the Lavender-scented Harmony Ear Candles with your significant other. After candling, apply your Lavender Sleep Patches to both feet. Inhale H.E.A.L's Good Night Essential Oil Blend a few more times. Now enjoy a peaceful night's sleep by slipping into bed.

The quality of H.E.A.L.'s products will never let you down. Thanks to all the goods in this Harmony's Sleepy Time Gift Set, your body will be able to breathe a bit easier in winter.

6.   Strategic Napping

In general, taking naps is a good idea. If you take naps at the right times and for a short period, they can assist you in catching up on sleep and reenergize you throughout the day. But they can work against you if you're trying to adjust your sleep routine, taking naps throughout the day may make it more difficult for you to fall asleep at night. So, once you've adjusted your sleep schedule, we suggest skipping naps and napping for when you feel tired in the afternoon.

Aim for fewer than 30 minutes if you must nap. Long naps may also make you feel sluggish because you wake up from a deep sleep. In order to avoid disturbing your nighttime sleep, it is also advisable to nap before 3 pm.

7.   Eat Light Before Going to Bed

It's crucial to time your meals so that your body maintains a regular rhythm. This will help better manage your sleeping pattern because eating can alter your body's clock. The quality of your sleep will be impacted by eating a large meal just before bed. Your body doesn't want to work extra hard to digest meals when you're asleep.

Aim to eat at least 2 to 3 hours before your preferred bedtime. Your body will have ample time to digest as a result. And if you still feel the urge for a snack just before night, consider something healthy like nuts, kiwis, milk, or sour cherries. It has been shown that eating these meals will improve your sleep15. Having dinner at roughly the same time every day will also help your body adjust to a schedule.

8.   Watch Your Intake of Alcohol and Caffeine

While drinking alcohol in the evening and right before bed may help you fall asleep quickly, the quality of your sleep will be significantly diminished. You destroy your brain when you drink alcohol. Sadly, it leads to sleep fragmentation, which is characterized by frequent awakenings during sleep16. After waking up, you won't feel refreshed. Alcohol also interferes with REM sleep, which is a problem17. Since REM improves emotional and mental well-being, missing it may make you upset.

Likewise, refrain from caffeine-containing beverages after midday. Because it takes many hours for coffee to wear off, drinking it in the afternoon can interfere with your ability to sleep.

9.   Take Some Time to Unwind

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A decent night's sleep and restoring your sleep schedule depend on an evening wind-down. It can assist you in psychologically and physically decelerating before bed, which makes it much easier to fall asleep. Without this time to unwind, your sleep schedule may become even more erratic due to extended sleep latency.

Make your evening as stress-free as possible by engaging in hobbies like yoga, meditation, or breathwork. The Sleep Foundation claims that lowering stress enhances the quality of sleep18. Attempt to meditate for only 15 minutes per day. Regular meditation improves your mental health and ability to carry out daily tasks. It entails getting more restful sleep every night and forming healthier routines.

10.        Limit Screen Time Before Bedtime and Read a Book

You might be a person who enjoys unwinding by watching TV or browsing social media at the end of the day. By doing so, you are unknowingly degrading your sleep hygiene. These gadgets release blue light, which disrupts your circadian rhythm and causes your brain to awaken19. Concentrate on a nightly digital detox in which you turn off all electronics—especially your phone—an hour before bed. Before heading to bed, swap your phone for reading a book to reset your internal body clock.

2019 online research found that reading a book in bed before bedtime resulted in better sleep quality than not reading a book in bed20. Another study from 2021 found that adequate reading quantity was associated with longer sleep duration when setting a cap on the amount of time you spent reading before bed21.

The Bottom Line

Take some time for your mental well-being and use these tips to get back on track after New Year's Eve with better sleep hygiene. Avoid bright lighting and large meals right before bed. Use yoga, meditation, or Harmony's Sleepy Time Gift Set to unwind before bed. Stay active throughout the day and avoid napping to improve your sleep quality. Introduce these healthy sleeping habits gradually into your everyday routine.

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