Your Stress-Free Sleep Guide for Thanksgiving Break

Whether you’re a parent trying to keep bedtime sane during the holidays…or a BCBA hoping to avoid complete exhaustion during your Monday sessions…taking a few minutes to think about your sleep plan for Thanksgiving week can make a big difference.

But the goal isn’t perfection. It’s creating just enough structure to enjoy the holiday and protect sleep so Monday doesn’t hit like a freight train.

Here’s your simple, realistic, science-informed guide from Thanksgiving Day through Monday morning.

🍁 Thanksgiving Day (Thursday): Enjoy Yourself—Truly

Today is not the day to stress about sleep.

Eat the extra piece of pie. Take the couch nap if it calls your name. Let the kids run around with cousins until they’re in a cookie-induced delirium. Holidays are supposed to stretch the routine a bit. One off day won’t undo all your progress.

Today’s only goal:✔ Enjoy the day✔ Keep the last few steps of the bedtime routine the same if possible—no pressure

🛍 Black Friday (Friday): Recover From the Chaos

If the days leading up to Thanksgiving were hectic (and for many families, they are), sleeping in is okay today.

A few guideposts:

• Sleep in a little if you or your child are sleep-deprived.

• Move your body—a family walk outside is perfect.

• Avoid napping if your child has already dropped naps.

• Bedtime when tired- it will probably be later if you slept in today and that's ok.

Most importantly…

Saturday morning- try to wake up no more than 1 hour later than the wake-up time you’ll need on Monday.

For both adults and kids.

This helps Monday feel MUCH less painful.

🌤 Saturday: Gently Reel It Back In

Tonight is your chance to start easing everyone toward normal.

• If possible, complete your normal, full bedtime routine tonight.

• Lean into calming evening activities

  → dim lights, coloring, puzzles, family stories, board games

• Try a no-scroll family movie instead of phones or iPads

• Keep stimulation low—this helps set the brain up for sleep

This is the transition day that helps reset the ship.

☀️ Sunday Morning: Anchor the Wake-Up Time

Wake up within 30 minutes of the time you need to wake up Monday.

This is the single biggest gift you can give yourself (and your kids) for a smoother week.

Then:

Assess how the weekend went—and give yourself grace.

Maybe bedtimes were late. Maybe naps happened. Maybe sugar was flowing freely (it’s Thanksgiving—we get it).

Let it go.

Now shift into planning mode:

Write down your sleep goal for the week.

Examples:

• “I want my child asleep by 8:30 pm.”

• “I want to be asleep myself by 10:00 pm.”

Then work backwards:

If your child needs to be asleep by 8:30→ Bath at 7:15→ Pajamas at 7:35→ Two stories at 7:45→ Lights out at 8

If YOU want to be asleep by 10:→ Phone away at 8:30→ Stretch, wash face, brush teeth→ Lights out at 9:30

Try this routine Sunday night and make small adjustments as needed.

⏰ Monday Morning: No Shame, No Panic

If you wake up on Monday not feeling refreshed?

Totally normal.

Sleep thrives on consistency, not perfection.

All you need to do is:

✔ Repeat your planned nighttime routine all week

✔ Hold steady with wake-up times

✔ Keep evenings calm and predictable

Your body—and your child’s—will settle back in much faster than you think.

Final Thought

Thanksgiving is meant to be enjoyed, not micromanaged. When you plan for a gentle reset between Friday and Monday, you give your whole family the chance to start the week more regulated, more rested, and more ready for whatever Monday throws your way.

Wishing you a joyful holiday, calm nights, and a Monday that feels shockingly manageable.💛🦃😴