Sleep Well on the Road
Sleeping in a hotel isn’t like sleeping at home, but there are ways to get a good night’s rest.
No one wants to be cranky or groggy when sightseeing or heading into an important meeting. Don’t let unfamiliar surroundings, massive time zone hops or a bad hotel bed ruin your next trip. Getting a good night’s rest is vital to getting the most out of your vacation or business trip, and we want to share a few tips to make it happen.
Sleep expert Rebecca Robbins shared her secrets to sleeping better on the road with Conde Nast Traveler. She says to make your hotel room feel more like home by bringing photos, your favorite pillow and comfy bedtime clothes. She also recommends using earplugs and trying to keep your phone away from your bed. Robbins says a pre-bed snack that’s about 200 calories is good. While you should usually avoid protein, warm milk is the one exception. And if you’re tossing and turning after 15 minutes, get up and out of bed and find something relaxing (like stretching) to calm your brain.
Independent Traveler also has a list of 33 ways to sleep better in a hotel. One of the main tips is booking a nice and quiet room. According to the article, a room on an upper floor away from the elevators is your best option. Other things to consider: Avoid rooms with a poolside view (to avoid late-night gatherings), find one midway down the hallway (away from ice and vending machines) and make sure you’re several floors up from noisy bars or banquet rooms. It’s best to speak with a booking agent to see what options are available and to better understand what your hotel includes.
A few other quick tips:
- It’s recommended to maintain a room temperature in the upper 50s to 60s.
- If you can, bring a white noise machine or load a white noise app on your phone.
- Bring a travel pillow to sneak in a nap on the plane.
- If you’re traveling across different time zones, try to adjust to local time on the day you arrive.
- Stay hydrated with water and try to avoid alcohol, coffee and soft drinks.
Bonus: While most people believe a drink or two will help them sleep, that’s actually not the case. While it may help you fall asleep, the quality of your sleep may leave you feeling worse off the following day.