Between travel, late parties, and a house full of guests, the holidays can turn sleep into an afterthought. Research shows your brain even stays on guard the first night in a new bed.
A steady wake time, a cool room, your own pillow, and a real bed for guests can keep everyone rested from Thanksgiving to New Year's.
It's 11:40 PM on the night before Thanksgiving. The pies are cooling, the guest room is ready, and your cousin's flight just landed. Tomorrow starts at 6 AM with a turkey that won't baste itself. Sound familiar?
The holidays are the best time of year, and also one of the hardest on your sleep. Late nights, rich food, travel, and full houses all pile up at once. The good news is that a few smart moves can keep you, your family, and your guests rested through the whole season. Here's how to make it happen.
Why Holiday Sleep Falls Apart
Part of it is simple math. There's more to do and fewer hours to do it. But a lot of it comes down to where we sleep. Holiday travel keeps breaking records; AAA projected 81.8 million Americans would travel for Thanksgiving last year, most of them by car (NBC News, citing AAA (opens in a new tab)).
And sleeping somewhere new is harder than it sounds. Researchers at Brown University found that on the first night in a new place, one side of the brain stays more alert during deep sleep, almost like a built-in night watchman (Brown University (opens in a new tab)). They call it the "first-night effect," and it's why that hotel bed or guest room can leave you groggy.
The more your holiday bed feels like home, the easier it is for your brain to let its guard down.
That's the big idea behind the tips below. Whether you're the host or the guest, comfort and familiarity do a lot of the heavy lifting.
5 Holiday Sleep Tips to Wake Ready All Season
None of these require you to skip the fun. They just help your body keep up with everything the season throws at it.
01Keep Your Wake Time (Mostly) Steady
Late nights are part of the holidays, and that's okay. The trick is to protect your wake time as much as you can. Your body clock leans on a consistent morning signal, so sleeping until noon after a party can throw you off for days. If you need extra rest, try a short early afternoon nap instead of a long lie-in.
Think of it as the 80/20 rule for holiday sleep. Stay consistent most days, and the occasional late night won't knock you off track.
02Pack Your Pillow, Not Just Your Clothes
Hotel pillows are a gamble. Some are flat, some are huge, and most trap heat. Bringing your own pillow is one of the easiest ways to make a strange bed feel familiar, which matters a lot on that first night away.
That's why our travel pillows aren't neck pillows. They're compact versions of a real pillow shape, so they cushion you on the drive or flight and then do their real job at the hotel or guest room. Learn more in our travel pillow guide.
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Storm Performance® Travel Pillow
A cool-to-the-touch Ver-Tex® cover with Air-X® mesh and air vents for airflow. Shop Storm Travel
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Flow Performance® Travel Pillow
A breathable, t-shirt soft Air-X® cover and a travel case with an adjustable strap. Shop Flow Travel
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Pillow Travel Bag
Zip in your favorite home pillow and strap it to your suitcase. There's room for extras too. Shop the Bag
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Performance® Pillowtop Air Mattress
A real bed feel for road trips, cabins, and family stays, in twin or queen. Shop the Air Mattress
Both travel pillows have removable, machine-washable covers, so they come home as fresh as they left.
03Give Your Guests a Real Bed
Hosting this year? Your guests are dealing with the first-night effect too. A saggy air mattress on the living room floor doesn't help. Neither does a pull-out couch with a bar right where your back goes.
Our Performance® Pillowtop Air Mattress is built to feel like a bed, not a pool float. It comes in twin and queen sizes, and the pillowtop cover zips off so you can wash it between visitors. Add a pillow from our Performance® Pillow collection, and your guest room might get better reviews than your stuffing.
A familiar pillow helps any bed feel more like home, whether you're hosting or traveling.
04Keep the Room Cool, Even When It's Cold Outside
When the temperature drops, it's tempting to crank the heat and pile on blankets. But a cool room supports your body's natural drop in core temperature as you fall asleep. A packed house, a warm kitchen, and heavy bedding can add up to a stuffy, restless night.
Turn the thermostat down a few degrees at bedtime, and swap heavy layers for breathable ones. Our breathable blankets keep you cozy while helping reduce heat buildup. And if someone in your house always sleeps hot, our For Hot Sleepers collection has plenty of options.
Take Your Sleep on the Road
From full-size travel pillows to a pillowtop air mattress that feels like a real bed, our travel collection is built to help you sleep well anywhere the holidays take you.
05Build a Wind-Down Into Every Night
Going straight from a loud party to bed rarely works. Give yourself 20 to 30 minutes to unwind with a book, a shower, or some light stretching. Dim the lights and set the phone down so your brain gets the message that the day is done.
It also helps to go easy on big late-night meals and that last nightcap. Heavy food can leave you uncomfortable, and alcohol tends to make sleep lighter and more broken later in the night. Enjoy the feast; just give it a little time to settle before lights out.
Make These Holiday Sleep Tips Part of Your Season
The holidays will always be busy, but your sleep doesn't have to be the first thing to go. Protect your wake time, keep bedrooms cool, and wind down before bed. Most of all, make every bed feel like home, from your own pillow on the road to a real bed for your guests. You'll have more energy for the moments that matter.
Still adjusting to the time change? Check out our guide to sleeping through daylight saving time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I sleep better during the holidays?
Keep your wake time as consistent as you can, give yourself a short wind-down routine, and keep your bedroom cool and dark. If you're traveling, bring your own pillow so your new bed feels more like home.
Why is it hard to sleep the first night in a new place?
Researchers at Brown University found that on the first night in a new place, one side of the brain stays more alert during deep sleep, almost like a night watchman. That effect faded by the second night in their study.
Is a travel pillow worth bringing on holiday trips?
Yes, especially for a full-size travel pillow. Our travel pillows are compact versions of a traditional pillow shape, so they work on the road and then give you familiar support in a hotel or guest room bed.
What is the best air mattress for holiday guests?
Look for an air mattress that feels like a real bed, not a pool float. Our Performance® Pillowtop Air Mattress comes in twin and queen sizes and has a pillowtop cover that zips off for easy cleaning between visits.
