I’m a sleep expert – this four-ingredient “sleepy potion” will help the kids sleep on Christmas Eve
When you’re a kid, there’s nothing quite as exciting and magical as Christmas. From Santa Claus surprising you with lots of presents under the tree, to all of the festive sweet treats and celebrations. However, all that excitement can disrupt our children’s sleeping patterns, as searches for ‘what helps kids sleep’ increased +5000% over the past 30 days.
If you’re concerned about your kids missing out on some shut-eye, then don’t be, Senior Sleep Expert and CEO at MattressNextDay Martin Seeley has revealed his top tips for getting the kids to sleep on Christmas Eve.

- Keep the energetic high in the morning, and stay more relaxed in the evening
Christmas Eve is full of magic for the little ones – especially with Santa Claus just around the corner. So, it’s important to kick the morning off with some energetic activities with your children – whether it’s a bike ride or a trip to the park – before gradually winding down into the afternoon with some festive colouring or reading.
In the evening, it’s crucial to create a relaxed atmosphere to get your kids ready for bed – and if you agree set bed and wake times in advance, then hopefully you won’t be woken up earlier than expected!
If for whatever reason there are last minute changes to sleeping arrangements, or you’re spending Christmas Eve away from home, pre-agree who sleeps where, and in which bed, so you don’t waste precious sleeping time in the evening.
- Adjust Christmas Eve wakeup times
For those that plan to wake up earlier as a family on Christmas Day for opening presents, then waking up a little earlier on Christmas Eve can help to adjust your children’s body clocks. For example, if the plan is to get up at 6am on Christmas Day, but normally your kids get up naturally at 7am; then set an alarm for 6.30am on Christmas Eve.
Not only will this help them with the earlier wakeup call on the big day, but it’ll also help with an earlier bedtime on Christmas Eve, as they’ll naturally be more tired earlier.
- Get some much-needed Vitamin D

Sunshine is really important for getting to sleep, as it produces melatonin, which helps to regulate your circadian rhythm – and helps to reduce SAD symptoms. So, keep your fingers crossed it’s not raining on Christmas Eve, and try and plan in some physical activity in the morning with something that can be done outside.
Whether you go for a family walk, or kick a ball in some nearby fields, giving your child exposure to sunlight will help to regulate their body’s sleep patterns, meaning they should be able to easily get some shut-eye come the evening.
- Switch off all blue light devices an hour before bed
Much like the sun can help produce melatonin, blue light from phones, iPads and laptops can hinder it; as it tricks the body into thinking it’s still daytime. This Christmas Eve, switch off all blue light-emitting devices at least one hour before bed, as it’ll allow your kids’ bodies time to naturally wind down, giving them a more restful and uninterrupted night’s sleep. In fact, this tip is a great one to extend past the Christmas period too!
- Stick to your regular nighttime routine
With holiday excitement growing, it can be tempting to let your kids stay up later, or skip their nightly bedtime story for something more festive; but those routines are created to encourage your children to get some sleep.
If you can, try to avoid making any significant changes to their nighttime routine on Christmas Eve, as it’ll help them to sleep more soundly not just on the night, but over the entire festive period.
- Offer up a glass of warm milk or a banana before bed
If your child feels hungry before bed, then they could wake up in the middle of the night, and not be able to get back to sleep. A small snack could help them sleep right through to the morning, but it’s important to know what to give them.

Sugary and fatty foods are a no-go, but a warm glass of milk or a banana are both great, healthy options that can help to relax your child’s muscles and calm their body down, making it easier to sleep. For the ultimate sleepy potion mix up milk, oats, peanut butter, and banana which are all high in tryptophan, which is an amino acid that can help with sleep.
To discover more sleeping tips, check out the Snooze News blog. To ensure a dreamy night’s sleep this Christmas check out our range of mattresses.