I know, it's hard to imagine yourself going back to work when you're lying on the beach enjoying your vacation.

However, if you want to avoid a difficult awakening on your first day back in the city, it would be wise - before you return from your vacation - to plan a strategy that will help you restore your sleep to the level it was in routine work conditions.

Yes, it sounds boring, but better safe than sorry.

So in this article, we'll guide you with some tried-and-true tips to beat the holiday hangover and get your sleep schedule back on track quickly.

More specifically, you will learn:

• What happens when your body clock shifts during the holidays?
• How long does it take to reset your sleep schedule?
• 9 proven tips to get your sleep back after the holidays

Let's start.

What happens when the body clock changes during the holidays?

Even though they have the best intentions, summer vacation can ruin the good sleep habits you build throughout the rest of the year so that you get enough sleep and wake up rested and energized.

As we wrote in the article Why you have trouble sleeping in the summer : Daylight saving time (and therefore extended exposure to sunlight) affects your circadian rhythm (your body clock), causing you to stay up late and sleep less. We tend to compensate for this lack of sleep on vacation by going to bed - usually late - and waking up late.

The result?

👋 Goodbye sleep hygiene. 👋 Goodbye regulated circadian rhythm!

So what happens to our bodies when our circadian rhythm changes dramatically during a period of time, like our summer vacation?

[Read: What is the circadian rhythm and how do you regulate it ?

The circadian rhythm is the 24-hour internal clock in our brain—the physiology of which determines sleep/wake cycles and is largely driven by sunlight .

So when our sleep pattern changes (or becomes disordered) it leads to sleep deprivation or poor sleep habits resulting in an impact on basic daily functions and affecting the following:

• Mood disorders , which are often associated with disturbed reactions controlled by the circadian rhythm rhythm. According to research There are strong associations between circadian rhythm and mental health, and recently direct interactions between the circadian system and mood regulation have also been discovered.
• Poor digestion. Metabolism and eating habits are also affected by the circadian rhythm – with studies showing that a disorder can lead to insulin resistance, diabetes and obesity .
• Memory consolidation and recall – although more research is still needed on memory and its relationship to the circadian rhythm, it is clear that the circadian system has a significant impact on learning and memory, manifesting pronounced changes in memory acquisition and recall during the day .
• Daytime sleepiness and insomnia symptoms . Another common side effect of a misaligned circadian rhythm.

Finally, it is important to keep in mind that severe dysregulation of your circadian rhythm and sleep schedule is considered a sleep disorder in itself.

For example, the delayed sleep phase syndrome Delayed sleep onset syndrome (DSPS) is a sleep disorder in which a person's sleep is delayed by two or more hours - beyond what is considered acceptable. The delayed sleep then makes it difficult to wake up at the desired time.

At the other end of the spectrum is the advanced sleep phase disorder (ASP), where people normally go to bed and wake up several hours earlier than most.

However, both of these circadian rhythm misalignments usually occur over a longer period of time, so don't worry about the occasional night you stay up until dawn.

On the contrary, it is a good idea to prepare yourself and your body to recover in the best way possible from this short period of disrupted sleep by slowly incorporating some useful changes into your habits before returning from vacation.

How long does it take to get your sleep schedule back on track?

It's important to keep in mind that the success of how quickly you can reset your sleep schedule and resynchronize your body clock is based on how long you've lived with a misaligned circadian rhythm.

The longer you've been exposed to a bad sleep pattern, the more patience you need. In fact, for some with severe circadian rhythm dysregulation, it can take anywhere from 10 days to 2 months before they start sleeping better.

9 proven tips to get your sleep back after the holidays

If you're simply trying to get back on a healthier sleep schedule so you can smoothly transition into your new work routine, below are some of our best tips for resetting your body clock.

If you suspect a more serious circadian rhythm disorder, the following steps will help, but a visit to your doctor should always be done first.

1. Take a melatonin supplement

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the brain in response to darkness. Research suggests that melatonin may regulate the circadian clock and that circadian rhythm disorders are sensitive to the hormone melatonin.

So, when you want to change your body clock to a schedule that will help you get back into your normal routine, taking a melatonin supplement can be helpful. This is especially helpful if prolonged periods of late night and early morning are preventing you from sleeping at night.

2. Gradually change your bedtime and wake-up time

If you've spent most of your vacation staying up late and waking up late, then you'll have a hard time going to bed early one night and just waiting for sleep to fall. You'll likely toss and turn in bed for hours, your mind racing.

Instead, try setting an earlier bedtime in 15-minute increments. So, for example, if you spent your vacation staying up until 3 a.m., slowly start to move your bedtime back by 15 minutes until you reach your normal bedtime under work-related conditions.

Similarly, you can do the same with your wake-up time by gradually setting your alarm to go off 30 minutes earlier until you reach your desired time. This way, you will slowly move your body clock back, without much difficulty.

3. Exposure to sunlight

Strategic exposure to light, especially sunlight in the morning, can help promote better sleep quality and help you fall asleep faster. One study even shows that not only does sun exposure improve sleep quality, sleep status, and sleep patterns, it also improves quality of life . It's a win-win.

Conversely, exposure to artificial light later in the day and evening can delay the onset of sleep and shift your sleep schedule later. During your vacation, try to schedule a walk in the sun first thing in the morning to soak up those precious rays. This goes for days when you're not on vacation, too.

4. Limit alcohol and certain foods

If you don't feel ready to give up your favorite cocktail yet, you might try changing the time you drink it, for example after lunch.

Alcohol in the evening and close to bedtime may seem to help you fall asleep faster, however, the quality of your sleep is seriously affected as it reduces the REM sleep stage, resulting in a poor - and not restful - sleep and a corresponding morning awakening. Try to slowly eliminate alcohol completely a few days before returning to work.

When it comes to food, there are certain foods that can help promote better sleep as well as foods to avoid, such as spicy and fatty foods and foods with a high glycemic index. A few days before you return to the city, try choosing foods that promote sleep and limiting those that hinder it.

[Read: Why does diet affect sleep ?]

5. Replace your phone with a book

Using electronic devices before bed is known to cause disruptions as they emit blue light, which blocks the production of melatonin (the sleep hormone) and prevents the onset of sleep. So instead of staring at your phone (or TV) screen, try reading a book.

A randomized trial conducted in 2019 concluded that reading a book in bed before bed improves sleep quality . Additionally, a study published in 2021 concluded that reading time is associated with longer sleep duration .

6. Music and meditation

Listening to relaxing music and guided sleep meditation can both help with sleep onset and promote a more restful night's sleep. As music psychology researcher Thomas Dickson says: "Listening to music at bedtime can not only help people fall asleep faster but also improve the quality of their sleep."

7. Gentle exercise

There are several studies that show how exercise helps promote better sleep . Mild aerobic exercise increases the amount of slow-wave sleep (deep sleep), which is vital for restoring and rebuilding the brain and body as you sleep.

However, be careful when exercising. Exercise releases endorphins and raises your body temperature, both of which can keep you awake longer than you'd like. So try to schedule any exercise earlier in the day, or if you only have time late in the day, schedule something relaxing, like a yoga session, a walk, or a gentle swim.

8. Avoid napping

Summer vacation and naps go together like a piece of cake with French fries, but late afternoon naps, and certainly naps that exceed 20-30 minutes, are likely to affect your sleep later in the evening. To help your body adjust to a work routine and synchronize your circadian rhythm, cut out naps altogether.

9. Improve your room conditions for better sleep

Try to follow the following guidelines to create the optimal sleep environment even when you are away from home:

• Temperature: A slightly cooler room will help you sleep better . For adults, it is recommended that the bedroom temperature be between 15 and 19 degrees Celsius.
• Gravity blanket: Take the gravity blanket with you even on your summer vacation. The gentle pressure it exerts on your body increases melatonin and serotonin levels and reduces cortisol levels (the stress hormone), helping you fall asleep faster and enjoy more deep and refreshing sleep.
• Relaxing aromas – essential oils, such as lavender oil, can relax you before bed and help you fall asleep more easily and peacefully.
• Dark room: Try to keep your bedroom as dark as possible. Even the light from your air conditioner can interfere with your sleep, so take care of that by covering it with electrical tape. Additionally, blackout curtains and sleep masks can help you stay away from any light sources. The room should be dark and cool, like a cave.

By trying the above tips, you will be able to restore your biological clock and help your body and mind quickly get back into the routine of your daily life. At first, you will feel disorganized and with "cloudy" thinking, however, day by day you will see that you are improving until you reach the ultimate point and start functioning at 100% of your potential again.

We wish you a creative and productive season!

Upgrade your sleep with a gravity blanket

Gravity blankets are the most effective way to deal with insomnia and stress without medication, as they have been used for many decades to help people suffering from anxiety disorders, autism, and other sensory disorders.

How do they work?

They are designed to apply gentle, steady pressure to the entire body, which occupational therapists call “ Deep Tactile Pressure .” This steady pressure relaxes the nervous system and helps the body naturally increase levels of serotonin and melatonin (the hormones of happiness and sleep) while reducing levels of cortisol, which is responsible for stress.

As a result, the mind stops "racing", the heart rate drops, the mood improves and the body enters a state of complete relaxation.

Choose the one that weighs closest to 10% of your body weight and upgrade your sleep from the very first night!