10 Questions to Build a Peaceful Holiday Nighttime Routine

Without solid rest, the holidays can feel like you’re trying to drive a car on an empty gas tank. I find it very hard to set healthy boundaries around my schedule when I haven’t spent time with my sisters or nieces in a long while. But I know I won’t have good quality sleep if I’m not strict with my bedtime routine. People will walk on eggshells around me and I won’t be able to enjoy myself.

This is why it is essential to be mindful of your sleep needs and priorities during the holidays. The following questions will help you clarify the areas of your life that need more attention. Don’t worry about answering the questions perfectly. Just be mindful of what might come up for you.

10 Questions to Help Create Your Best Holiday Nighttime Routine

1. What is your biggest challenge or frustration when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep?

2. What does your nighttime routine currently look like?

3. How many hours of sleep do you need to feel truly rested?

4. When do you typically go to bed and wake up?

5. How much time do you need to fall asleep peacefully at night?

6. What do you need to change to make your bed or bedroom more comfortable?

7. If you’re traveling during the holidays, what sleep adaptations do you need to consider?

8. What is the impact on your mental or physical health if you don’t get enough sleep?

9. Is there a boundary you need to set (either through your schedule, or directly with someone in your life) in order to prioritize your sleep?

10. What is one small change you could make today to support better sleep and prioritize self-care during the holidays?

Crafting Your Peaceful Holiday Nighttime Routine

Once you have answered these questions, either through contemplation or journaling, process the information you got from them. Take some time to think about the questions that surprised you, the ones that were hard to answer, and the ones you feel excited about.

In my experience helping clients create a perfect sleep routine, awareness is key to lasting change. Once you notice your environment, you can adapt over time and set healthy boundaries when the stakes are high, or when you’re just having too much fun.

I share these nine tips for crafting your perfect holiday routine without hassle, anxiety, or guilt with my clients. See which ones resonate with you so you can build a peaceful night’s routine this holiday season.

9 Tips to Create The Perfect Holiday Nighttime Routine

Focus on your priorities: Take time to think or journal about your priorities. It’s okay if you want to spend time with your family and friends instead of getting beauty sleep if that’s your priority. But if you decide to prioritize self-care and sleep, it’s okay to let your loved ones know that you will be in bed by 9 p.m. You choose!

Keep it simple: If you feel overwhelmed, ask yourself, How can I simplify this? The answer may surprise you. Trust your intuition, keep it simple, and focus on your goal.

Create a cozy environment: Adjust your bedroom environment to create a sleep-friendly atmosphere. Even if you’re traveling, you can pack items like essential oils, a noise machine, your favorite blanket, or an eye mask to make your room comfortable.

Prioritize your schedule. Set a consistent bedtime to ensure that you get quality sleep for the length of time you need to rest. For example, I need to be asleep by 9 p.m. to feel rested the next day, so I know I need to be in my pajamas by 8 p.m. It’s not always easy to set this boundary, but know that it’s worth it.

Add buffer time: Plan for buffer time before bed to unwind so you don’t rush or feel reactive during holiday events. For example, I need to start saying my goodbyes by 7:30 p.m. so I can be home by 8 p.m.

Be flexible: Anticipate challenges sticking to your ideal nighttime routine and create strategies to stay aligned with your goals. Flexibility will help you enjoy family traditions more easily.

Nourish yourself: If you stay up later than planned, make space during the day to rest and nourish yourself. Normalize taking naps and setting aside solo time during family gatherings to relax and reset (especially after a night out).

Later, later: Create a mental note for the future (or a note on your smartphone) with the little things you can do in the future to build a peaceful night routine during the holidays. Remember to focus on the things you can control and add the rest to your list for Santa—or the Universe.

Focus on awareness, not perfection: Perfectionism won’t make you better … it will only make you more tired. Identify simple adjustments to your routine that will help you feel more relaxed and balanced during the holiday season. Choose one small, manageable change this week to support your sleep goals, and remember to focus on progress, not perfection.

Enjoy Your Peaceful Holiday Nighttime Routine

Using these upgrades you’ve identified, write down your ideal evening routine to establish a relaxing bedtime. This will help your body finish the stress cycle for better sleep and wake up refreshed and joyful during the holiday season.

Just like kids need time to fall asleep after being sent to bed, your body needs time to drift off into slumber, especially when you are surrounded by more people than usual or are processing multiple emotions. Focus on your priorities, give yourself time to adjust, and enjoy the holidays as much as possible.

Try these four practices to transform holiday stress.