Stop Staring At the Ceiling All Night: 7 Ways to Sleep Better in a Hotel

A quiet hotel room with a comfortable bed, fresh sheets and no kids to wake you up at 3 am. It’s every parent’s dream. Except, you toss and turn and wake up feeling exhausted. All that peace and quiet, but no sleep – what gives?!

It’s not just an annoying air conditioner or the heater kerthunking at strange hours that can disrupt our sleep.  According to sleep studies, a phenomenon called the ‘first night effect’ prevents us from sleeping soundly on the first night in new surroundings. The effect applies whenever you’re sleeping somewhere unfamiliar, whether that’s a hotel room or a friend’s house.

You can still get a good night of sleep on the road! The key? Make your sleep environment as close to home as possible and set yourself up for success with healthy habits!

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Earplugs

If you can sleep with earplugs in, they’re excellent for blocking out noises. In noisy urban settings, like Manhattan, you absolutely need to have earplugs to drown out the sirens and other city noises. The downside here is that you may have trouble getting used to the feeling of earplugs, if you don’t usually sleep with them. You also may not want to use earplugs if you’re traveling with your kids. If you can handle the feel of earplugs, they’ll definitely block out noise and help you sleep better.

White noise

White noise can be great for smoothing out the unfamiliar noises of a hotel. I’ve found that you do have to turn it up pretty loud to truly drown out a loud heater. White noise is as simple as finding a track on your phone, so it’s very portable. If you already use white noise at home, it’s perfect for travel as well. White noise is also awesome for the kids – many kids use white noise to sleep at home, which means it will also help them sleep better on the road.

Bring your own pillowcase

I am super sensitive to the feel of the pillowcase since I’m a side-sleeper, so I love this tip. I always sleep better when the pillowcase is comfortable against my cheek. If you have a choice, bring a colorful pillowcase so it won’t blend in with the hotel pillowcases. You’ll be much less likely to forget it (ask me how I know, ahem).

Exercise

I know it’s hard to fit in when you’re traveling, but I always sleep better when I’ve exercised that day. A quick evening body-weight bedtime routine can be simple: try 10 squats, 10 push-ups, 10 sit-ups, 15 seconds rest and repeat for 5 min. Or climb up and down the hotel stairs a few times. You’ll feel tired – and sleep better – after your workout.

Stretch & Meditate

A simple 10-15 minute yoga and meditation routine can clear your mind and soothe your joints. This process is especially important if your day was out of the ordinary, like a travel day can be, or if you’re wound up from a day of meetings. You might also be sore from sitting in an airplane seat for hours.  Yoga routine works out your body’s sore spots and mediation relaxes your brain. Both will help you sleep better.

Check the Temperature

The ideal temperature for sleep is 60-67 degrees, according to the National Sleep Foundation. A good bet is to set the temperature to the same setting you use at home overnight. This is something that I always forget to do when I’m staying in a hotel, so make sure to incorporate “check the thermostat” into your travel bedtime routine. If you want to sleep better, start with a cool room.

Scents from Home

Hotel rooms smell different than home – there’s no way around that! Spritzing a familiar or calming scent, like lavender, could help the hotel feel a little more comfortable.  Check out the options (affiliate link) for an appealing scent!  You’ll definitely sleep better with a comforting smell that masks the unfamiliar odors of the hotel room.

Sleep Better on your Next Trip

I can’t wait until my next trip to test all of these tips out. While I’ve tried some of them myself, I haven’t tried a scent before and I often forget to exercise or check the thermostat when I’m traveling. Lesson learned! Let me know if you have a great tip for resting better while on the go. Happy sleeping!