During the holiday season, many people find themselves sleep-deprived. The reasons for lack of sleep can be positive or negative.

Although staying up late at parties, eating and drinking a lot, and having friends and family over at your house can be a significant source of fun and pleasure and something that you’ve looked forward to for quite some time, it can also lead you to deprive yourself of much needed sleep. On the other hand, if the holidays are causing you to feel stressed due to financial concerns, tension at family get-togethers, or other similar reasons, you may be lying in bed at night wishing the holidays were over already so that you could go back to sleeping better. Although it’s quite common to have trouble sleeping during stressful periods of your life, insomnia can easily turn from a short-term problem into a chronic one. Before letting poor sleep affect both your physical and mental well-being, try these simple tips to improve your sleep this holiday season.

• Don’t drink too much alcohol at parties.

Although alcohol can cause you to feel sleepy at first, you’re likely to have more awakenings and more restless sleep later on in the night.

 

• If you’re lying in bed feeling stressed about finances around the holidays or upcoming family gatherings, get out of bed and find something relaxing to do.

Staying in bed while worrying can lead to a worsening of insomnia. You don’t want to associate your bed with a place where you lie awake and worry. So get out of bed if you’re having trouble “shutting down” your mind at night and find something boring or relaxing to do until you feel sleepy.

 

• Take time during the day to write down your worries and what you’re doing about them.

Then when you get into bed at night, remind yourself that you’ve already dealt with your worries and problems.

 

• Don’t add to your stress by putting too much pressure on yourself at holiday time.

Instead of worrying about throwing the best parties or buying the best presents for your family or friends, try to focus on what is really important to you in life. Spend time relaxing and enjoying the company of family and friends and try to forget about the things you cannot control.

 

• Don’t avoid parties and other social activities because you’re nervous about the effects on your sleep.

Spending too much time focusing on your sleep can actually worsen your problem. Instead, try to enjoy these events and forget about your sleep problem while you’re there. This may actually help improve your sleep and give you more balance in your life.

 

• If you find yourself feeling very sleepy during the day, then make it a priority to get to bed at a reasonable hour that night so that you can get the sleep you need.

 

If you are sleep deprived, your mood, attention, concentration, and physical well-being can all be affected. Although you may want to stay up late with family and friends during the holidays, try listening to what your body is telling you. If you notice yourself yawning, having trouble paying attention to conversations, or that your eyes are feeling heavy, it’s time for you to go to sleep. Your body, mind, and mood will all thank you in the morning.

Stephanie Silberman is the author of The Insomnia Workbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Getting the Sleep You Need .