How to Sleep Better in a New Hotel Room or AirBnB When you Travel
Jul 04, 22
They’re two kinds of travellers - one who can fall asleep anywhere & everywhere comfortably, after spending the day exploring. And another, who finds it difficult to get a restful night’s sleep when in a new room.
This inability to fall asleep or to get sound sleep in a new environment is called the First Night Effect. Most of us have experienced this at some point, especially on our travels.
But why does this happen? Well, simply put it’s our brain’s natural instinct. Our brain is conditioned to protect ourselves in a new environment and is naturally more alert in such instances. Even the simplest changes like a different bed, different lighting or even the slightest sounds can affect our brain and cause it to be semi-alert all night, resulting in a bad night’s sleep.
The degree to which your sleep is affected may also vary depending on the nature of your travels. Some other factors that can impact this include being in a different time zone, change in body’s daily routine, dietary changes or even the pace of your day.
However, there are some very easy hacks to reduce this effect and help you sleep better in a new place. The key is to give your brain a sense of familiarity, consistency and comfort. Here’s what you can do -
1.Stick to your Regular Sleep Schedule: Whenever possible, try to maintain the same sleeping time and wake up time as your home routine. When you stick to your normal bedtime schedule, your brain will be triggered to release melatonin on time to help you doze off at bed time. This makes it much easier to fall asleep in a new place.
2.Follow your Nightly Routine: We all have a routine we follow before bedtime at home. Whether it is brushing our teeth, following a skincare ritual, meditating or reading. As long as you keep it the same no matter where you are you've build in at least some actions that are a bit similar each night. The similarity in nightly routine helps the brain associate the place with sleep even if the environment is new.
3.Use a Sleep Mist: Certain aromas help calm the mind and create a much more relaxing environment for you to sleep in. This helps reduce the stress associated with being in an unfamiliar place. Moreover, if you use a Sleep Mist in your daily sleep ritual even at home then it builds a sense of comfort when your brain recognises this aroma in an outside environment. So it’s a good idea to include the mist in your routine before your travels and continue the use while on your trip.
4.Use White Noise or Ambient Sounds: Play some soothing ambient music on low volume, or a white noise sound clip around your bedtime. This helps to block out any unfamiliar sounds like traffic outside your hotel or new AirBnB. White noise is known to put the mind at ease and create a more calming atmosphere for sleep. Alternatively, you can also use a good pair of sound-blocking ear plugs for the same effect.
5.Use an Eye Mask: Light has a huge impact on one’s sleep quality. While you may not have control over the light settings in your rooms when traveling; you can still control your body’s exposure to this light. Put on an eye mask, which blocks any unwanted or unfamiliar lights in your room. This helps the brain switch into a state of sleep and also boosts melatonin production owing to a darker sleep environment.
Following these simple tips can have a huge impact on your sleep quality during your travels. This will certainly help your body adjust better to different environments and get the much needed rest after a fully-packed day of explorations.
This inability to fall asleep or to get sound sleep in a new environment is called the First Night Effect. Most of us have experienced this at some point, especially on our travels.
But why does this happen? Well, simply put it’s our brain’s natural instinct. Our brain is conditioned to protect ourselves in a new environment and is naturally more alert in such instances. Even the simplest changes like a different bed, different lighting or even the slightest sounds can affect our brain and cause it to be semi-alert all night, resulting in a bad night’s sleep.
The degree to which your sleep is affected may also vary depending on the nature of your travels. Some other factors that can impact this include being in a different time zone, change in body’s daily routine, dietary changes or even the pace of your day.
However, there are some very easy hacks to reduce this effect and help you sleep better in a new place. The key is to give your brain a sense of familiarity, consistency and comfort. Here’s what you can do -
1.Stick to your Regular Sleep Schedule: Whenever possible, try to maintain the same sleeping time and wake up time as your home routine. When you stick to your normal bedtime schedule, your brain will be triggered to release melatonin on time to help you doze off at bed time. This makes it much easier to fall asleep in a new place.
2.Follow your Nightly Routine: We all have a routine we follow before bedtime at home. Whether it is brushing our teeth, following a skincare ritual, meditating or reading. As long as you keep it the same no matter where you are you've build in at least some actions that are a bit similar each night. The similarity in nightly routine helps the brain associate the place with sleep even if the environment is new.
3.Use a Sleep Mist: Certain aromas help calm the mind and create a much more relaxing environment for you to sleep in. This helps reduce the stress associated with being in an unfamiliar place. Moreover, if you use a Sleep Mist in your daily sleep ritual even at home then it builds a sense of comfort when your brain recognises this aroma in an outside environment. So it’s a good idea to include the mist in your routine before your travels and continue the use while on your trip.
4.Use White Noise or Ambient Sounds: Play some soothing ambient music on low volume, or a white noise sound clip around your bedtime. This helps to block out any unfamiliar sounds like traffic outside your hotel or new AirBnB. White noise is known to put the mind at ease and create a more calming atmosphere for sleep. Alternatively, you can also use a good pair of sound-blocking ear plugs for the same effect.
5.Use an Eye Mask: Light has a huge impact on one’s sleep quality. While you may not have control over the light settings in your rooms when traveling; you can still control your body’s exposure to this light. Put on an eye mask, which blocks any unwanted or unfamiliar lights in your room. This helps the brain switch into a state of sleep and also boosts melatonin production owing to a darker sleep environment.
Following these simple tips can have a huge impact on your sleep quality during your travels. This will certainly help your body adjust better to different environments and get the much needed rest after a fully-packed day of explorations.
