Why You’re More Exhausted During the Holidays and How to Sleep Better Through It
Ashley Abramson
Summary
The holiday season can be joyful, but it also brings exhaustion from overstimulation, irregular routines, and winter light changes. Learn why your energy dips so quickly this time of year and a few simple, sleep-focused strategies to help you feel more rested.
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Between longer nights, colder weather, and packed calendars, holiday exhaustion is a common (and frustrating) experience. The chaotic buzz of this season can cause your brain and body to slip into a cycle of overstimulation and sleep disruption, leading to day-to-day exhaustion. Add the emotional load of winter, and it’s no surprise that many of us feel more tired than usual.
The good news: A few small, strategic changes can make rest feel a bit easier, protecting your energy to take on all your holiday plans. With these winter sleep tips, you can offset holiday stress and sleep challenges, soothe your nervous system, and ease into deeper, more consistent rest.
Table of contents
- Why the Holidays Take Such a Big Toll on Your Energy
- How Winter Light and Weather Disrupt Your Sleep
- Simple Strategies to Feel Less Drained and Sleep Better
- Key Takeaways
- FAQs
- References
Why the Holidays Take Such a Big Toll on Your Energy
The holiday season can place a surprising amount of strain on your energy. Constant overstimulation from gatherings, travel, bright lights, noise, and generally packed schedules keeps your nervous system in go-mode longer than usual. Then there’s the emotional load of navigating family dynamics, managing expectations, and nonstop socializing. Add in the extra mental demands of planning, hosting, and gifting and your brain has little downtime to recharge.
Irregular routines and late nights can also disrupt your normal energy patterns, while sensory overload can hit parents, introverts, and kids especially hard. All of this combines to create a perfect storm of exhaustion when you need energy the most.
How Winter Light and Weather Disrupt Your Sleep
Winter brings significant physiological changes that can throw off your sleep. Shorter daylight hours trigger an earlier melatonin release, which can leave you feeling sluggish long before bedtime. At the same time, late sunrises make mornings harder, disrupting your natural wake signals. Colder temperatures can lead to inconsistent sleep, while dry indoor air (especially in colder climates) can contribute to nighttime waking. All of these shifts tie back to how your circadian rhythm adapts in winter. When that rhythm falls out of sync, your sleep quality and daytime energy often take the hit.
Simple Strategies to Feel Less Drained and Sleep Better
Escaping the holiday chaos may not be possible, but you can take a few simple steps to manage your exhaustion. Quality sleep can improve your resilience to stress, reducing your exhaustion and making it easier to function during this busier-than-normal season.
Anchor Your Day With Small Routines
What you do during the day can play a big role in your energy levels (and your ability to fall and stay asleep). Try to maintain a consistent wake time each day, especially in the dark winter months. Morning light exposure is also an important signal to regulate your body’s internal clock. Hatch Restore’s Sunrise Alarm allows you to wake up gently (no more jarring phone alarms!) while exposing you to light that supports your circadian rhythm.
When you can, take time for small moments of calm during the busy holiday schedule. Whether you take a break during holiday menu planning for a few deep breaths or call a friend on the way to a party, comforting daytime activities can reduce stress and make it easier to get restful sleep later on.
Protect Your Sleep Environment
When it’s time for bed, your sleep environment can be a powerful cue for winding down. Your bedroom should feel like a calm retreat — a space to rest and unplug from the day’s stress. Keep your space as uncluttered as possible to remove distractions, and choose bedding that feels warm and cozy but breathable.
Healthy light habits are another great focus. When you’re getting ready for sleep, switch off the big lights and turn on soft, warm lighting, such as a small lamp or amber light on your Hatch Restore. If your home or neighborhood are noisy at bedtime, relaxing brown or pink noise on Restore can help block out distractions that keep you awake.
Strengthen Your Evening Wind-Down Ritual
A stronger evening wind-down routine can make winter sleep feel easier. Consistency is key for supporting your circadian rhythm, so aim to go to bed at the same time each night and follow the same simple cues that signal your body to relax.
One of the most effective steps is putting your phone away to avoid blue light and mental stimulation, something Restore’s Goodnight, Phone feature makes effortless. From there, swap late-night scrolling for calming activities like journaling, gentle stretching, or deep breathing.
For some extra relaxation, cue up your Unwind Routine with a cozy bedtime podcast or meditation. Even a few minutes of self-care at bedtime can go a long way in supporting your sleep, especially when the days are more chaotic than usual.
Key Takeaways
- The chaos of the holiday season can keep your body in a state of fight-or-flight, while lack of light in winter can disrupt your circadian rhythm.
- Simple-but-strategic sleep routine tweaks can support healthy sleep habits in winter, so you can get the restorative rest you deserve.
- With soothing audio and light, plus Cue to Unwind and Unwind Routines, Hatch Restore makes it easy to create and stick with your winter sleep routine.
Ready to prioritize rest? Learn how Hatch Restore can support healthy sleep habits all year long.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I feel more tired during the holidays even if I’m sleeping enough?
Holiday fatigue isn’t just about hours of sleep. Higher stress, irregular routines, emotional overload, and reduced daylight all strain your nervous system and make rest feel less restorative.
How much daylight do I need to feel more energized in winter?
Even 10-20 minutes of bright morning light can help regulate your circadian rhythm. Getting outside within an hour of waking is especially helpful in December and January.
What’s the quickest change I can make to feel more rested during the holiday season?
Dim your lights and step away from screens at least 30 minutes before bed. It’s a small shift that can significantly improve melatonin release, calm your mind, and support deeper sleep.
References
- Blume, C., Garbazza, C., & Spitschan, M. (2019). Effects of light on human circadian rhythms, sleep and mood. Somnologie, 23(3), 147–156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-019-00215-x
- Chaput, J.-P., Dutil, C., Featherstone, R., Ross, R., Giangregorio, L., Saunders, T. J., Janssen, I., Poitras, V. J., Kho, M. E., Ross-White, A., Zankar, S., & Carrier, J. (2020). Sleep timing, sleep consistency, and health in adults: A systematic review. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 45(10), S232–S247. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2020-0032