Black Friday's Best Deal: Extra Sleep

It’s that magical time of year when millions of frenzied consumers chase one-time-only holiday bargains. The day after Thanksgiving, also known as Black Friday, is a holiday in itself. Smartphones, high-definition televisions and countless other items are available for less money… but there’s another type of price to pay.

Most of the best bargains are door-buster sales. You have to be among the first in the store for a shot at the low-priced prize, meaning you better be in line at midnight.

You might want to consider your sleep before you bundle up and line up outside Target or Best Buy. Holiday weekends like this are few and far between. The long weekend is the perfect time to make up for all the lost sleep and get your slumber schedule back on track.

If you still want to get that Christmas shopping done on the cheap, try shopping online instead. Amazon.com offers all kinds of Black Friday prices, and even price-matches some items.

Friday isn’t the only day you can score a great deal online. Best Buy, Macy’s and JCPenney all have “Black Thursday” specials on their website, beginning at midnight. Then there’s always also “Cyber Monday”, the Monday after Thanksgiving.

Make sleep a priority this year and you don’t necessarily have to miss out on the deals. You’ll be better rested for the always stressful holiday season.

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Don’t Let Bed Bugs Take a Bite Out of Holiday Travel

Last year, the Sleep Education Blog reported on the resurgence of bed bugs in North America, primarily on the both coasts. Infestations of the miniscule creepy crawlers can be difficult to clear once they get inside your home. And bed bugs find their way there by hitching a ride on your clothes or belongings.

Americans hitting the highways for the holiday weekend should beware of these blood-sucking bugs. Stay in one infested hotel room and the next thing you know your home bedroom mattress will be crawling with bed bugs. It’s impossible to tell by the naked eye if a hotel has bed bugs. You may think you’re safe if you stay at reputable hotel, but that’s not true. Even 4-star luxury resorts get them.

Hotels don’t want to ruin their reputation by letting the information get out, so most of the time bed bugs go unreported. That’s why a website called The Bedbug Registry exists. It’s a searchable website that tracks user submitted reports by hotel name, city and date. Be warned, the cases are not independently verified. But if a hotel has numerous complaints it’s a good bet it has bed bugs.

Bed bugs don’t transmit disease, but can cause itching and discomfort. There is no pesticide that kills the tiny creatures. Treatment methods vary. One way to get rid of them is through heat, by raising the temperature to 115 degrees. If your home has bed bugs its best to get professional help.

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Holiday Wishes from the AASM

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap…

-- From “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” by Clement C. Moore

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine wishes each of you a holiday season filled with peaceful sleep and sweet dreams.

Image by Kris de Curtis

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Children & Holiday Sleep Loss

Even the most angelic child may transform into a Grinch during the holiday season. Why?

Children may be free to stay up later at night since they don’t have to wake up for school in the morning. And the excitement of the holidays can make it harder for them to fall asleep.

As a result children may get much less sleep than they need. A new poll by a U.K. bed and mattress company found that children accumulate an average of 25 hours of sleep loss during the holidays.

“Holidays are a time for enjoying family and friends,” said AASM spokesperson Dr. Lawrence Epstein. “But the holiday activities can lead to significant sleep deprivation. Unfortunately, the need for sleep doesn’t change.”

Children often respond to sleep loss in a different way than adults. Sleep-deprived adults tend to be sleepy and sluggish during the day.But sleep-deprived children may be hyperactive. They also may be moody and irritable.

This sets the stage for a classic holiday meltdown. Tantrums. Outbursts. Crying. Let’s just say that “peace on earth and goodwill toward men” will be quickly forgotten.

What can a parent do? One solution is to keep your child on a regular schedule during the holidays.

Our bodies function best when we maintain a routine: Wake times. Meal times. Sleep times.

This schedule should include a set bedtime. In July the Sleep Education Blog reported that children who go to bed after 9 p.m. take longer to fall asleep; they also have a shorter total sleep time.

So make sure your child has time to wind down and get in bed before 9 p.m. each night. One way to help is to turn off the TV and the computer earlier in the evening.

The holidays will be happier for everyone in the house if your child is well rested. And the season will be more enjoyable if you get your sleep too.

On SleepEducation.com you can learn why you should put sleep at the top of your holiday wish list. Get sleep tips for the holidays from the AASM.

Image by Cristian Boldisteanu

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