Wellbeing and Careers Hub > 12 Days of Christmas

Silent Night: Tips for Getting Better Sleep

Dec 11, 2020
Silent Night: Tips for Getting Better Sleep

A report by sleep expert Christine Hansen, commissioned by Eve Sleep, found that stress brought on by the festive season is one of the main causes of lack of sleep at this time of year, with 27% of women losing sleep because of Christmas-related stress. We’ve put together a list of tips that will increase your chances of having a good night’s sleep.

  1. Sleep schedule. Get yourself accustomed to a regular sleep routine by waking up and going to sleep at the same time each day. Aim to get 8 hours of sleep every night and remember to work in some extra time to wind down before bedtime.

  2. Get an alarm clock. Most of us rely on the alarm clock on our phone, but this can make getting to sleep even harder. Having your phone at arm’s reach makes it too easy to carry on scrolling past bedtime. Try to get into the habit of leaving your phone on the other side of the room so you can switch off before you sleep and get accustomed to using a traditional alarm clock.

  3. Cut out the caffeine. Whilst tea contains around half as much caffeine as a coffee, it does still contain caffeine, so you might want to consider having caffeine-free tea or hot chocolate before you head to bed. Ideally, you should try to avoid caffeine four to six hours before bedtime.



  4. Reading something light and uplifting or listening to a podcast or audiobook, which can bring back memories of being read to, are great ways to wind down before bed.

  5. Dim your lights a couple of hours before you sleep. Turn off any bright lights and create a relaxing atmosphere before you go to bed as this will help you unwind. Lighting some candles can help create a soothing atmosphere but be sure to blow them out before your head hits the pillow!

  6. A warm shower or bath can help you relax and will be even better if you add some sleepy scents like lavender or jasmine to the mix.

  7. Sleep aids like a weighted blanket, eye mask, sleep lamp or pillow spray can make it easier to wind down and feel relaxed for a good night’s sleep.