Rest, relax, and catch some fun. That is the primary purpose of any vacation. But, it’s not uncommon for normal sleep patterns to get disrupted while away on vacation. This can be due to a number of varying reasons, but the primary factor always remains a change in environment, and sleeping in an unfamiliar bed. Eventually, as you come to terms with the nature of the bed, you are better able to catch a good night’s sleep.
Interestingly, regardless of your destination and changes you’ll have to accommodate, proper preparation could eliminate any disturbance, ensuring you sleep as comfortably as possible from your flight till the very end of one of your best vacations ever. We’ve compiled a few helpful tips you’d have to keep in mind while preparing for any vacation.
- Carefully select your lodgings: You definitely do not want to find yourself in a hotel that’s close to an airport or just by the roadside (at least, if your house isn’t in such a locale). Beyond that, you’ll also have to consider the guest rooms of your desired hotel or preferred resort rental to ensure the setting is one suitable enough for your sleep setting.
- Set yourself up like you’re home: We all get accustomed to certain sleep ‘environments’. So, feel free to accommodate you pillow and/or beddings that make you feel at home, giving you the routine feel your body craves. Packing along your regular room spray or including easy-to-carry artworks or pictures is also a great way to keep you relaxed, with a feel of home.
- Be prepared with sleep inducing, noise blocking materials: No, this does not necessarily mean drugs. It’s not always easy getting a room free from all forms of noise and disturbance. While you might get away from construction or possible vehicle disturbances, noise from the room beside yours could easily inhibit your sleep as well. Taking along a sleep mask and earplugs could be just the required tonic to keep the noise and light away, while you enjoy a peaceful rest.
- Employ white noise: Some modern hotel rooms are fitted with a white noise machine that fills the room with noise-cancelling sound to help you sleep more easily. Similarly, android and iOS apps exist for this purpose. If you deem it too expensive to invest in, and if your hotel lacks one, a bedside radio or softly playing music could be the right tonic to drown out the noise from outside the room.
- Maintain your sleep/evening routine: You probably already have a regular sleep routine which you follow on a daily basis, such as reading or quiet meditation. Adopting similar routines while away from home gets you comfortable, letting you slip away into a sleep mood you are accustomed with.
- Eat right: Vacations always make room for exceptions. However, eating or drinking too much could further inhibit your sleep. Always eat light before bed. Too much alcohol or calories close to bedtime could keep you tossing and turning on the bed through the night.
- Forget about the time: You want to give yourself plenty of time to adjust to the environment and sleep. Going to bed earlier than normal would give you enough time to do just that. You’d also want to avoid staring at the clock, wondering when you’ll fall asleep as this can make you restless, and further affect your chances.
Your sleep pattern could just be the difference between a stressful or awful vacation and one of your best vacations ever. Applying these simple trusted tips is a sure way of getting you as rested as possible while enjoying a wonderful vacation.