3 Ways to Sleep Well in Your Next Hotel Room
Posted on: 1 May 2017
Sometimes it just seems impossible to get to sleep in a hotel room, even if it's a deluxe suite with a great view and all of the upgrades. If you have this problem, you're not alone—it's hard to sleep in a room that's not familiar to you, no matter how nice it is. But you don't just have to suffer through your travel insomnia. There are things you can do to make it easier for yourself to get a good night's sleep in a hotel room. Take a look at some tips that will help you get the sleep you need so that you can fully enjoy your next stay away from home.
Create a Home Away from Home
Humans are creatures of habit, even in their sleep. Are you a side sleeper or a stomach sleeper? Do you sleep on the right or the left? Do you toss and turn and kick off the covers, or stay as still as a statue while you sleep? Do you hug a pillow or fling your arms out to your sides? Whatever the answers are, they probably have been true for a long time—even when you move into a new house or reposition your bed, you gravitate to the same side and sleeping position as always.
What does that have to do with sleeping in a hotel room? Well, you'll sleep better if you can recreate your normal sleeping experience as much as possible. Request a room with the same size bed that you use at home—that way, you won't feel lost in a bed that's too big or cramped in a bed that's too small. Consider bringing at least one pillow from home—you'll associate the feel and smell of it with home and fall asleep more easily. If you normally sleep with a partner, but you're traveling alone on this trip, you may want to bring a body pillow to put in the place where your partner would normally be. You may feel silly doing it, but you'll be less likely to wake up if you can't roll over into empty space where you would normally expect a person to be.
Scope Out the Room for Sleep Deterrents
As soon as you get the room key, check the room out for anything that may prevent you from sleeping well. You want to know right away if you need to request a new room or ask for any changes. Start by making sure that the air conditioner is functioning properly. Sleep experts say that the optimum temperature for sleep for most people is between 60 and 67 degrees, so you want to be sure that you can get the room down to that temperature.
Next, check to see if your room is close to an ice machine or elevator, or if there are dumpsters or recycling bins outside your window. If you're sensitive to sounds, you might want a room away from any of these. Usually, a room in the middle of the hallway will be quieter, because it's furthest away from machines and elevators. To avoid the sounds of garbage and recycling trucks, not to mention late-night or early morning car sounds, move to a higher floor. If the hotel is a low-rise building, ask for a room that's as far as you can get from the parking lot.
Shut Out the Lights
Even if you don't normally think of yourself as someone who needs to shut out all distractions to sleep, doing so can help when you're in hotel room. Most hotels understand the need to darkness and use light-blocking curtains or shutters to help guests rest. Often, the lights that you most need to get rid of are those that you bring in yourself—the ones that come from your cell phone, tablet, or laptop.
If you don't normally keep these devices in your bedroom at home, you may not realize how much they can disrupt your sleep when you're away. The blue light from the devices can interrupt your body's release of the sleep hormone melatonin and disrupt your sleep cycle. Turn all of the devices off at bedtime.
With a little preparation, you can get a great night's sleep in your hotel or oceanfront room, and you'll have the energy you need to enjoy your vacation or go about your business the next day. Don't be afraid to ask the hotel staff for adjustments that can help you get a better night's sleep.
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