12 Ways Your Sleep Schedule Can Prevent Holiday Meltdowns

3. Prioritize Consistent Wake Times

Wake time consistency is a surprisingly strong anchor for your body clock. Keeping roughly the same time to get up—within an hour across most days—helps stabilize hormones that drive sleepiness and alertness. During holidays, people often let wake times slide, thinking extra sleep will “catch up” missed rest. That can backfire by shifting your rhythm and making evenings later and sleep lower quality. If staying in bed feels tempting, aim instead for modest changes: let your bedtime vary a bit, but get up within your usual window to keep the rhythm steady. For those traveling or staying with family, set your phone alarm to your regular wake time and use morning light to reinforce it. This habit reduces grogginess and lowers the odds of irritability later in the day. Over time, steady wake times make naps and caffeine less necessary, which means fewer late-day disruptions and calmer holiday interactions with friends and family.

4. Plan Travel With Sleep in Mind

Travel is one of the biggest sleep disruptors during holidays. Airports, delays, and time-zone changes all conspire to fragment sleep. Planning ahead can blunt those effects. If you cross time zones, shift your schedule gradually by 30–60 minutes a day in the days before travel, when possible, so your body eases into the new time. On the plane, weigh whether sleeping or staying awake will help you adjust—short westbound flights might benefit from light naps, while long eastbound trips often call for staying active and sleeping on the new night. Use earplugs, a comfortable travel pillow, and an eye mask to improve sleep quality if you do try to rest in transit. After arrival, prioritize morning light and avoid heavy meals late at night to help reset your clock. These tactics reduce fatigue that otherwise fuels impatience and lowers frustration tolerance during holiday gatherings or long drives.