The holidays tend to disrupt baby and child sleep. Schedules shift, days run longer, naps get missed, and bedtime often moves later than usual. This can feel stressful, especially if sleep already feels delicate or unpredictable.
Holiday sleep disruption is very common.
Sleep is sensitive to changes in routine, environment, and stimulation, and the holidays bring a lot of all three.
Why Sleep Often Looks Different During the Holidays
Baby and child sleep is influenced by many factors, including regulation, predictability, and nervous system load. During the holidays, children are often experiencing:
- More stimulation throughout the day
- New environments or travel
- Different caregivers
- Less downtime
- Inconsistent nap and bedtime routines
Even positive experiences require energy and regulation. When days are fuller, sleep often reflects that.
Many children manage the busyness during the day and then struggle more at night. Nighttime is often when the nervous system finally slows down enough for everything to catch up.
What This Can Look Like
During the holidays, sleep may include:
- Increased night waking
- Longer or more supported bedtimes
- Shorter naps
- Early mornings
- A greater need for closeness overnight
These patterns are common during periods of transition and increased stimulation.
Responsiveness Is Often Needed More Frequently
When sleep is harder, many children need more support than typical. This can look like more rocking, feeding, holding, or lying with your child at bedtime or overnight.
Providing this support helps children regulate when their systems are stretched. Increased responsiveness during a demanding season does not set long term sleep patterns. Children tend to return to their prior level of needed support once routines return and become more stable.
Avoid Making Big Sleep Changes
The holidays are generally not a good time to introduce major sleep changes. When schedules are inconsistent and nervous systems are already under strain, adding more change can be overwhelming, and it can actually make sleep seem much worse.
If you are considering changes such as dropping feeds, reducing support, or changing sleep locations, it is often easier to revisit those plans once life feels more predictable.
Many sleep challenges that show up during the holidays ease on their own when routines stabilize.
Let Schedules Be Flexible (if possible)
Holiday days rarely follow normal rhythms. Focusing on strict schedules can add unnecessary stress.
It can help to:
- Watch your child’s cues rather than the clock
- Offer opportunities for rest even if sleep does not happen
- Allow bedtimes and naps to shift when needed
Short term schedule flexibility is not harmful at all. For many children, it actually supports regulation during busy periods.
Some Children Need More Structure
Some children do better with very consistent routines and schedules. They may become dysregulated, melt down, or become overtired more easily when sleep shifts too much.
If that is your child, it is okay to protect naps and bedtimes more closely, even during the holidays.
Not all children tolerate flexibility in the same way. Some children genuinely need predictability in order to feel regulated, and sleep is often a big part of that.
Supporting your child’s sleep might mean leaving gatherings early, skipping events, or sticking closer to your usual routine. Responding to your child’s needs is key!
There is no single “right” way to approach holiday sleep. What matters most is doing what works for your child and your family.
Give Yourself and Your Child Grace
Sleep does not need to look a certain way during the holidays. Some nights will feel long, and some days will feel off. This does not mean you are doing anything wrong.
Remember that the holidays are a temporary season. Sleep often shifts again when routines return and nervous systems have time to settle.
For now, patience, responsiveness, and realistic expectations go a long way for both you and your child.
And if you want to dive deeper into all of the many factors that impact toddler sleep, check out my comprehensive toddler sleep e-course, where I walk you through the big picture and how to support your child’s sleep holistically. Alternatively, if you feel you need more 1:1 support, schedule a call with Jenn for holistic and responsive sleep support that feels good.
