Christmas can be an incredibly stressful time. Even more so when we are grieving and faced with relentless waves of grief surrounded by festive joy and cheer.
To navigate this grief rollercoaster with a little more ease, we need to find ways to increase our capacity to cope with all the emotional triggers of the holiday season.
And the one area where we can have the most impact on our overall resilience is …… sleep. When we sleep well, we are more in control of our mood and emotions and therefore we can make healthier choices in all aspects of our life.
How Grief Prevents Restful Sleep
Grief can throw a huge spanner in the works when it comes to sleep, often turning us into insomniacs. With our minds overloaded, bodies tense, and anxiety through the roof, finding the peace and calm we need for a good night's sleep becomes a big challenge.
So, what can we do in the run-up to Christmas to quiet those ruminating thoughts and finally get more of that elusive, rejuvenating sleep?
The good news is, there’s quite a bit we can do. Let’s start with the basics.
Rituals tell our body and mind that it's time to unwind and prepare for bed. But, after the loss of a loved one, we often need to find a new bedtime routine that works for us, and this can take time. Because what works for one person doesn’t necessarily cure another’s sleeping problems.
In general, whatever calms your nervous system can help you relax enough to send you off to sleep.
Here are a few ideas for some calming activities that you could try and incorporate into your bedtime ritual:
- Choose calming music or an uplifting book over stimulating movies or browsing through social media.
- Enjoy an Epsom salt (foot) bath to soak up magnesium through the skin. Magnesium deficiency is one of the most common causes of sleep disorders, especially after a loss.
- Have a glass of warm almond milk before bedtime with ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, turmeric, and freshly ground nutmeg. Add a few drops of maple syrup if you like it a bit sweet.
- Show yourself some TLC by massaging some sesame oil into the soles of your feet. Put on some socks to keep your feet warm and the bedlinen clean. Sesame oil has a very grounding effect on us.
- Try one or more of the simple breathing techniques in this post to calm your nervous system and create a sense of calm before going to bed.
- Play 'Holy Harmony' by Jonathan Goldman on a loop during the night. This ‘sound therapy’ will distract your mind sufficiently to stop anxiety and ruminating thoughts.
Patience and perseverance are key to getting more consistent quality sleep. It is all about trial and error and having enough tools in our ‘Sleep Toolbox’ to never run out of alternative sleep remedies.
Additional Sleep Resources
Would you like to discover more ways to improve your sleep over Christmas and New Year? Or perhaps find strategies to help you maintain stable mood, energy, emotions, and weight throughout the holiday season?
Click on the links below to access helpful resources that will guide you in taking back control and navigating the emotional challenges of the holidays with more ease:
- Read my most recent holiday blog
- Get my Sleep Self-Care Diary
- Discover bite-sized Christmas & New Year tips on my YouTube channel
- Get started on a happier, healthier relationship with food and stop late-night snacking with this self-paced online course 'Navigating Emotional Eating During The Holidays: A Starter's Guide', available here.
- Sign up for my free 52-week email series on gentle habit changes to cope better with grief and discover more practical tips on how to improve your sleep after a major loss.
If you'd like to skip the trial and error and get straight to the support you need, I’d be happy to help. Book a free 30-minute call with me here, and let’s discuss how you can start feeling better as we move into the new year.
