Reset your sleep like you reset your home
The holiday season brings joy, warmth, and more than a little chaos. As calendars fill up and living rooms transform with festive décor, our usual routines tend to take a backseat—including the way we sleep. While it’s absolutely the time to celebrate and connect, it can also be the perfect opportunity to think ahead. Just as many of us will refresh our homes after the celebrations are over, we can do the same with our sleep routines. A few simple steps now can help make that post-holiday transition smoother, setting you up for better rest in the new year.
Clear Out the Clutter
The holiday season often brings a joyful kind of chaos with gift bags piling up in corners, and decorations taking over surfaces. Just as your living space can start to feel physically crowded, your evenings can become mentally cluttered, leaving little room for rest.
Think about how you might tidy up a kitchen counter or reorganize a crowded entryway—you’re not removing the joy of the season, just making space to breathe. The same principle applies to your sleep routine. Rather than waiting for January to overhaul everything, begin gently clearing out what’s disrupting your evenings now.
- Limit screen time before bed to reduce overstimulation
- Set boundaries around evening work emails or group chats
- Scale back on commitments that push your bedtime later each night
- Make time for quiet rituals like reading, stretching, or simply being still
Reclaim Your Sleep Space
During the holidays, bedrooms often take on extra responsibilities, serving as guest rooms, wrapping stations, or last-minute storage zones. But even with the seasonal shuffle, it’s important to preserve your bedroom as a place of rest. If space is limited, try a few of these simple organizing solutions that can help you stay festive without sacrificing your sleep sanctuary.
- Store wrapping supplies in a clear under-bed container so they’re out of sight but easy to access.
- Use decorative baskets or storage ottomans to tuck away seasonal clutter like extra throws or shopping bags.
- If hosting guests, consider a designated “reset zone” where your personal items can stay tucked away and undisturbed.
These small adjustments can help you maintain a sense of calm and control in your bedroom even during the busiest time of year. And when the lights go out, your body will thank you for preserving that peaceful space.
Let Go of What Isn’t Serving You
As you plan to refresh your home after the holidays, take a moment to consider what no longer supports your rest. That could mean replacing a worn-out pillow, reconsidering a nightly habit that keeps you up, or rethinking how much your current routine truly supports your well-being.
Letting go of what’s no longer working (physically and mentally) makes space for more restorative sleep. Rest isn’t just a reward for getting through the holidays—it’s something you can protect and prioritize now, so you move into the new year feeling recharged, not depleted.