Sleep Health 11 | Holidays and Sleep

In this episode, Dr. Alison Bentley discusses how holidays affect sleep patterns. She identifies three main categories of sleep changes during holidays: improved sleep, unchanged sleep, and worsened sleep. She explains that sleep improvement often occurs for those with work-related sleep deprivation, night owls, and people traveling from high to low altitudes.

Dr. Bentley emphasises that some sleep disorders, like insomnia and sleep apnea, may not improve during holidays. She details how travel (especially across time zones) can impact sleep quality and provides specific guidance on managing jet lag using melatonin.

The discussion includes practical advice for different age groups and travel directions, with particular attention to east-west travel patterns.