SLEEPING IN A NEW ENVIRONMENT

Make your travels different by achieving healthy sleep away from home

Are you traveling and leaving the comfort of your own bed? You may be sleeping in a hotel, your childhood bedroom, or in a relative’s or friend’s home. Whether it’s the holiday season, a family vacation, or a business trip, you’ll inevitably find yourself sleeping in a new place. Unfortunately, many people say that they don’t sleep well in new places. Part of this is because our bodies love and thrive off of consistency. Make your travels different by achieving healthy sleep away from home by considering the following suggestions:

Optimize Comfort

If you’re driving and have space in the car, throw in your pillow and favorite blanket! This is one of the best ways to feel like you are sleeping in our own bed.
If you’re flying and/or have limited space, pack your pillow case!
If you’re staying at a hotel and don’t like the pillows, you can call and ask if the hotel has different pillow options - many do!
If you’re staying at a hotel, try and book the same size bed that you have at home especially if you’re traveling with your bed partner.
If you will be sleeping with your partner when traveling (but you don’t sleep in the same bed at home), sleep under separate blankets to minimize movement and disruption throughout the night.
Sleep on the same side of the bed that you sleep on at home.
Pack your preferred pajamas - the ones you feel most comfortable in.
If you have control over the thermostat, try to maintain the same temperature as your bedroom at home.

Eliminate Noise

Use earplugs or noise canceling headphones if they work for you.
Pack a white noise machine and place it a few feet off the ground near the area that noise enters (e.g., bedroom door, window, a shared wall, or perhaps between two couches if your family members are squeezing together).
If you are low on space, there are free apps you can download to use white noise. Prop up your phone or tablet on a small table (be sure to silence notifications, darken the screen, and plug it in so it doesn’t stop in the middle of the night).

Keep It Dark

Use an eye mask. There are dozens to choose from with different materials and levels of padding. Find one that is comfortable for you.
If eye masks induce anxiety or you tend to yank them off while sleeping, focus on blocking light that enters your sleep space. You can find many options for portable blackout shades and when all else fails you can use tape and black trash bags to cover windows.
If even the slightest light interferes with your sleep, keep a roll of black tape with you to cover up any light from alarms, thermostats, clocks, etc.
You can roll up towels to place under doors if light is coming through.

Maintain Routine

If feasible, keep a similar daytime routine to when you are home (bedtime, waketime, meal timing, physical activity, etc.).
If you have a tough time the first night, keep to your routine on subsequent days to better your odds of quality sleep on subsequent nights.
Allot some time to wind down at the end of the day and mimic what you do at home (e.g., same skin care products, stretches, etc.).