10 RULES TO Sleep Better At a Hotel
It’s hard to enjoy yourself or be productive if you’re exhausted. These tips will help you nod off in an unfamiliar place.
1 BOOK THE RIGHT ROOM
Choose a room on an upper floor and midway down the hall, if you can. That location is your best bet for staying away from noisy areas such as exits, elevators, and vending machines, says Richard Shane, PhD, behavioral sleep specialist for New West Physicians in Colorado2 MAKE IT DARK
You might also want to ask for a room with blackout shades. “Most hotels have them, but they may be in some rooms and not others,” says Shane. That said, window shades usually can’t close all the way, no matter how hard you try, says Debra Kissen, PhD, MHSA, clinical director of the Light on Anxiety Treatment Center in Chicago. Her advice: “Bring a sleep mask with you in case you need it
3 REFRAIN FROM NAPPING
Unfortunately, taking a nap could set you up for a restless night. “Our brain builds up a drive for
sleep,” says Kissen. “If you nap, you’ll have less of that.
sleep,” says Kissen. “If you nap, you’ll have less of that.
4 DONT GO TO BED WITH THE FULL BULLY
Try to eat dinner at least two hours before you go to bed to give your body a chance to digest. “If you go to bed with a full stomach, your digestive system will be active while you’re trying to get the rest of your body not to be active,” Shane says.
5 GO EASY ON THE BOOZE
No need to be a teetotaler on vacation, but you should be awar that those extra indulgences could mess with your sleep. Alcohol in creases the production of adenosine a chemical that normally helps in duce sleep, according to the Nationa Sleep Foundation. But after its rapid release following alcohol consumption, the chemical quickly dissipates which can cause you to wake up.
6 STABILIZE YOUR SCHEDULE
Regular routines often go by the wayside when you travel. “So much of sleep is getting a good rhythm going, and the fun of vacation is that it’s unpredictable,” Kissen says. But try staying somewhat consistent with your bedtime. If you go to bed at 4 a.m. one night and 8 p.m. the next, your body’s rhythm will get out of whack.7 CRANK UP THE AC
Keep your room at a cool temperature, between 65 and 68°F, Shane recommends. “When we sleep, our body temperature drops,” he says. “Consequently, when we stay in a room and our body temperature drops, it eases us into sleep
8 BLOCK OUT THE SOUND
Does a rattling AC or your noisy neighbor keep you up? Pack a pair of silicone earplugs, says Shane. “Silicone warms with your body and shapes to your ear for the best fit, and it has a high-rated decibel reduction,” he says. If you’re not a fan of earplugs, download some white noise tracks to your phone.
9 QUIET YOUR BREATHING
“Most people, when they think about breathing, think about doing it deeply, slowly, or into the abdomen,” Shane says. “All those forms are adjusting your breath too much and taking effort, which means you’re not sleeping.” Instead, he recommends, make your breathing quieter, which is easier because it doesn’t change the muscles you use.
10 RELAX YOUR TONGUE
“When people think of relaxation, they think of relaxing the entire body, and that’s too much work,”Shane says. “Just let your tongue be calmer, and that will spread relaxation through your body
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