In This Article:
Quick Answers
What temperature for sleeping? 15-19°C (60-67°F). Cooler than most people expect. Your body temperature drops when you sleep, and a cool room helps that happen.
How much sleep do I need? 7-9 hours for adults. But quality matters too - uninterrupted sleep is better than 9 hours of tossing and turning.
How do I fall asleep faster? Same bedtime every night. No screens an hour before bed. Keep it cool and dark. And honestly, a supportive mattress helps more than people realize.
Getting Your Sleep Back After the Holidays
The holidays wreck your sleep. Between late nights, travel, different beds, too much food, and the general chaos of December, most people start January exhausted. A 2024 survey from the Canadian Sleep Society found that 72% of Canadians report worse sleep quality during the holiday season.
The good news: your body wants to get back to normal. You just need to help it along.
Why Holiday Sleep is So Bad
Several things happen at once during the holidays:
- Irregular schedules. You stay up later for parties and gatherings, sleep in to compensate, and your internal clock loses its anchor.
- Alcohol consumption. Even moderate drinking disrupts REM sleep and causes you to wake up during the night.
- Stress. Financial pressure, family dynamics, travel logistics. Your body stays in a state of low-level alertness that makes deep sleep harder.
- Diet changes. Heavy foods, more sugar, eating later in the evening. All of it affects sleep quality.
- Different beds. Sleeping at relatives' houses or hotels means adjusting to unfamiliar mattresses and environments.
The Recovery Timeline
Most people need about two weeks to fully recover from holiday sleep disruption. Here's what a realistic recovery looks like:
Week 1: Stabilize Your Schedule
Pick a wake-up time and stick to it, even if you feel tired. Your body needs a consistent anchor point to reset. Going to bed tired is better than sleeping in and perpetuating the cycle.
Avoid napping, even if you're exhausted. Naps feel necessary but make it harder to fall asleep at night.
Week 2: Restore Quality
Once your schedule is stable, work on sleep quality:
- Resume normal eating patterns and stop eating at least 2-3 hours before bed
- Cut back on caffeine, especially after noon
- Limit alcohol to weekends only, if at all
- Get back to regular exercise (but not too close to bedtime)
The January Bedroom Reset
January is actually an ideal time to improve your sleep setup. The holidays often highlight problems you'd otherwise ignore:
- That mattress you've been tolerating. If you slept better at your parents' house or in a hotel, your mattress might be the issue. The new year is a good time to finally address it.
- Pillow problems. Old pillows flatten out over time. If you're waking up with neck pain, it might be time for new ones.
- Sheet and bedding quality. Fresh sheets can make your bedroom feel new without major expense.
Quick Wins for Better Sleep
While you're recovering from the holidays, these small changes help:
- Make your bed every morning. Sounds simple, but getting into a made bed at night feels different than collapsing into rumpled sheets.
- Set a "screens off" time. An hour before bed with no phone, tablet, or laptop. Read a book or just sit quietly.
- Keep your bedroom cool. 15-19°C (60-67°F) is ideal. Most people keep their homes too warm in winter.
- Open the blinds first thing. Morning light helps reset your circadian rhythm.
When the Problem Is Your Mattress
Sometimes poor holiday sleep reveals a deeper issue. If you:
- Sleep better almost anywhere except your own bed
- Wake up stiff or sore regularly
- Can feel springs or lumps
- Your mattress is more than 8 years old
The problem isn't just holiday disruption. We see a lot of customers in early January who've finally decided that this is the year they fix their sleep. There's something about starting fresh that motivates people to make changes they've been putting off.
Common January Sleep Mistakes
A few things people try that don't actually help:
- Aggressive catch-up sleeping. Spending the first week of January in bed for 12 hours doesn't restore lost sleep. It just keeps your schedule irregular.
- Sleep aids. Over-the-counter sleep medications can help occasionally but create rebound insomnia if used regularly. They're not a long-term solution.
- New Year's resolution overexercise. Intense workouts after being sedentary can leave you too sore and amped up to sleep well.
Making It Stick
The habits you build in January tend to last. Use the recovery period to establish patterns you can maintain:
- Same bedtime and wake time, seven days a week
- A wind-down routine that signals sleep is coming
- A bedroom that's dark, cool, and comfortable
- No work or screens in bed
If you're in Brantford or the surrounding area and want to start the year with better sleep, stop by and see us. We've been helping families sleep better since 1987, and January is always busy with people ready to make a change.
Mattress Miracle is at 441½ West Street, Brantford. Same-day delivery available.