October has just come to a close, and Spring is already halfway through to finished. The familiar heat is coming into our homes again, and the AC has been turned down to its lowest setting, if the hubby has anything to do about.
It’s almost that time of the year again.
Christmas time.
Playing a massive part of the calendar year in many Australian homes, it’s no doubt that the summer holidays can have a significant impact on your sleep schedule. From up-and-coming summer barbeques, Christmas work parties, and planned holidays, our Winter selves often say bye-bye to a sedentary lifestyle and welcome one with more vigorous schedules.
“I’ve been invited to 3 late-night events all in a row, what do I do!?”
We’ve all been there. Invite after invite, Friday to Sunday. With the weekend calendar starting to fill up with social outings galore, we can quickly begin to lose our sleep schedule to the excitement of our social calendar.
So, what are some things you can do to mitigate a sleepless night’s aftershocks?
Plan Ahead
First things first. You have to pre-emptively plan ahead. We all know sleep plays a major part in work, relationships, and lifestyle performance. So, if you have work the morning after a Sunday session or a soccer game you promised your friends you would join in with the day after a spontaneous Friday night out, you need to take the responsibility into your own hands.
Set Yourself Boundaries
Set yourself some clear boundaries. Whether it be making sure you’re home by 11 pm or only have 4 beers for the duration of the evening; boundary-setting lays the foundation to preventing those post-sleepless night pains. Another handy tip is getting your (responsible) friends involved too. Let them know your plans and why you’re doing it and ask them to give you gentle reminders throughout the evening.
Although teenagers are more susceptible to peer pressure than adults, it still plays a big part in our decision-making. If you choose to ask a friend to peer pressure you into sticking to your set boundary throughout the evening, you have a 23% higher chance of following it in comparison to you not asking for encouragement from your peers.
Learn To Prioritise
Lastly, sometimes you must prioritise and only attend social events that are meaningful to you. We all know that adulthood comes bearing responsibility, and some of that responsibility is non-negotiable. If you have a duty landing on either side of that social event that needs your time, attention, and focus, sit yourself down and prioritise the event's importance. Allowing yourself to learn to prioritise your responsibilities gives you lifelong skills and nights of high-quality sleep.
What Has the Biggest Impact on Sleep?
There’s no doubt that Australian drinking culture plays a prevalent part in our social activities. With only 23% of adult Australians not indulging in alcohol at all, the other 77% knows the significant impact it leaves on the quality and quantity of sleep we partake in. While it may be hard to completely avoid social events with alcohol involved as a key component, you don’t have to miss out on attending or sacrificing your quality sleep. At your next social event, opt for alcohol-free beverages such as water, cordial, or juice. Alternatively, Australia’s own Dan Murphy’s offer’s a vast range of alcohol-free wines, beers, and cocktails for your next event. We hear the new Carlton Dry 0 is pretty good!
Trust us, your REM sleep cycle will thank you later.
So, while it’s important to remember to make the most of these warmer months, it’s important to remember that sleep plays an important part in how we feel, act, and behave during these times. Give yourself time to indulge, while setting yourself boundaries and alternative options as need be.
Don’t forget to remember to stay safe! Nobody likes a Christmas Grinch, keep up the merriment with a full dose of sleep every day.
If you want to learn more about why incurring sleep debt in the social summer months can impact you in the long run, click here.
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