Snoozeletter: Holiday Sleep Myths 🍗 and a Mindful Motherhood Update

Nov 25

Hi friends,

Last week I had the chance to speak on a Mindful Motherhood panel hosted by Boiron at the Ivy Room inside the Royalton Park Avenue Hotel. It was a thoughtful conversation about maternal health, gut health, stress regulation, and the importance of supporting parents with real tools. I sat beside my dear friend Dr. Nelli Gluzman and dietitian Keri Glassman and was reminded how much clarity and calm come from community.

Boiron invited me to speak about maternal sleep and family sleep. It is a topic we do not talk about enough. Our culture fixates on baby sleep, but baby is never separate from the sleep of the people caring for them.

I talked about creating a family forward sleep culture in the home. Realistic routines. Responsive caregiving. Protecting rest for the grownups. And a little humor for the nights when we end up sleeping in places we never expected. Sleep is not a solo project. It is a village effort.

Speaking of village effort, who is making the side dishes and who is hosting the main event for your village this week? With Thanksgiving here, I wanted to share something simple and science based. Below are a few common sleep myths that show up every year and the actual truths behind them.

Thanksgiving Sleep Myths and the Actual Truths

Myth 1: Turkey makes you sleepy.
Turkey contains tryptophan, but not in amounts that reliably influence sleep. The post dinner slump comes from a carbohydrate rich meal that increases serotonin and slows digestion.

Myth 2: Alcohol helps you sleep.
Alcohol may shorten sleep onset (help you fall asleep) but it fragments sleep, increases night wakings, and reduces REM. Stopping a bit earlier in the evening and drinking water between servings protects sleep quality.

Myth 3: Traveling guarantees a bad night of sleep.
Not always. Morning outdoor light, consistent wake time, and dim evenings prevent most circadian disruption. Even small amounts of morning light can steady your internal rhythm. Bring comfort items from home for little ones, a travel CPAP if you use one, and sleep eye masks or white noise machines to help if you are ready for bed but the rest of the family is still up playing boardgames.

Myth 4: A heavy meal ruins sleep.
Holiday meals can make you feel sluggish, but pairing dinner with a short walk (bring your favorite cousin with you) improves digestion and reduces overnight discomfort.

Myth 5: Sleeping in this weekend will fully reset your sleep.
Sleeping later can help temporarily, and its great to bank up on missed sleep opportunities from earlier in the busy week. But it does not reverse circadian drift. Gentle consistency with morning light and regular wake time works better than long catch up mornings.