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Sleeping Pills and Holiday Habits: What You Need to Know

You take sleeping pills—maybe all the time, maybe just occasionally—to get a good night’s rest, but you may be wondering how the hustle and bustle of the holiday season can affect your schedule and sleep habits. Here, eight factors that could play a role in your nighttime routine and how to adapt.

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Resolving to kick the pill habit

If you’ve felt dependent on sleeping pills for months or even years, you may at some point decide to stop taking them and start getting to sleep naturally. The New Year is as good a time as any to set this goal, as long as it’s not an overly stressful time in your life. Trying to fall asleep cold turkey while you're already attempting to quit smoking or lose weight can increaese anxiety levels—making it harder to accomplish any of these goals. (Other popular New Year’s resolutions, however, such as exercising and avoiding caffeine, can actually help promote sleep.) Before giving up your medication, talk to your doctor about tapering the dose, switching to a natural remedy, or trying cognitive-behavioral therapy.