5 Tips on Navigating Sleep Routines During the Festive Season

The festive season is a magical time filled with family gatherings, festive meals, and joyful traditions. However, navigating sleep routines can be tricky during this time along with late nights and overstimulation, leaving little one's struggling to maintain healthy sleep habits.

As a sleep consultant, I understand the need for balance—honouring the joy of the season while keeping well-being in focus. This blog covers tips on how to navigate holiday sleep challenges using a flexible and nurturing approach.

1. Prioritize the Key Elements of Sleep

While it’s tempting to abandon routines during the holidays, prioritizing some core sleep elements can make a big difference.

Focus on:

• Consistency: Aim for similar wake-up and bedtime windows, even if they shift slightly. A 30-60 minute adjustment can allow flexibility without completely disrupting sleep patterns.

• Sleep Environment: Whether you’re at home, staying with family, or traveling, ensure the sleep space is calm, dark, and a comfortable temperature. Bring along a familiar comfort item, white noise machine, or blackout curtains to create a restful environment

2. Flexibility when it come to navigating sleep Routines is Key

Strict schedules may feel unrealistic during the holiday season, and that’s okay. Focus on creating flexible routines instead of rigid schedules.

For example:

• Stick to a modified bedtime routine—even if it’s shorter. A warm bath, a quiet story, or some soft music can signal it’s time to wind down. Or even just a song and long cuddle if you’re already running very late for bedtime

• If naps are shorter or completely missed, don’t stress! Instead, offer the next nap earlier, fully assist to sleep or offer an earlier bedtime

• If bedtime is later than usual, again, it’s definitely okay on the odd occasion especially if that means you’re having fun with family and friends. You can then encourage an earlier bedtime the next night or an opportunity for a nap the next day.

Flexibility reduces the pressure to have a “perfect” schedule while ensuring sleep doesn’t completely  fall apart.

3. Manage Overstimulation

The festive season often means extra excitement: sparkling lights, loud family gatherings, sugary treats, and more. While these moments are joyful, overstimulation can make falling asleep more difficult, especially for little ones.

To help manage this:

• Offer quiet, calm-down time before bed. Activities like reading, drawing, or quiet cuddles can help the body transition to sleep.

• Balance sugary treats and rich holiday meals with plenty of water and earlier-in-the-day enjoyment when possible.

4. Set Realistic Expectations

The festive season is about connection and joy, so give yourself grace if things don’t go perfectly. Kids may stay up late giggling with cousins or you may enjoy that extra festive glass of wine—and that’s okay!

Aim for overall balance, not perfection. A missed bedtime here or there won’t undo healthy sleep habits when approached with care.

5. Return to Routine Gently

Once the festivities wind down, gently transition back to your normal sleep routine.

Start by:

• Gradually shifting bedtimes and wake-up times back to usual.

• Reintroducing calming pre-sleep rituals.

• Being patient—it may take a few days to adjust

A Final Word: Embrace the Season

Sleep is essential for everyone’s well-being, but so is joy and connection. By balancing flexibility with a nurturing approach, you can enjoy the magic of the holidays without sacrificing healthy sleep. Remember, small adjustments can go a long way, and grace matters—for yourself and your family.

Here’s to a season filled with rest, joy, and precious memories!

looking for some guidance on age appropriate routines?

This 33 page Sleep and Feed Routines will GUIDE you with all the age appropriate routines from 3 weeks old until 4 years old where there is no nap! 

Also included:

Age appropriate Awake Times

Feed, Play, Sleep explained

Nap transitions

Number of expected naps

Overnight expectations

Bonus notes on each routine to help you along the way

Everything you need to know about your little one's current routine is only a click away! 

Nicole Jayawickreme

Certified Baby Sleep Consultant and Registered Nurse (Neonatal Intensive Care)

I’m a certified sleep specialist, neonatal intensive care nurse, wife and a mother of 3 beautiful little children. I know first hand how important sleep is and I am here to help you and your family with my sleep programs so that you all can thrive.

I will guide and empower determined parents like you, to get the sleep you desperately need so that you have the energy to be the best parent that you can be!

Are you ready to have a happy,

well-rested sleeper?

If you’re exhausted and uncertain of where to begin, know that I’ve been there too.

Let me show you how to navigate sleep with ease for a happier, well-rested family!

Fill out my Contact Form and I’ll be in touch