We all know that sleep is important for the body and the brain, but when you’re traveling, you need to be extra well-rested in order to take on the day. Here are a few tried-and-true ways to get the best sleep while traveling.
Find the Best Hotel Room
While you can't always ensure that your hotel room will be quiet, there are definitely ways to hedge your bets. Due to the “first night effect,” your first night of sleep is bound to be suboptimal — the left side of your brain will be on guard, scanning the room for threats, resulting in less overall sleep and less REM sleep.
Alas, if you’re in charge of booking your own room, there are a few things to keep in mind to get the best sleep while traveling. If possible, ask to avoid the lower floors, as well as hallways near elevators and vending machines. Avoiding these areas can help you sleep better at night because you’ll be farther away from noisy neighbors and foot traffic.
Beware of Caffeine and Alcohol
Both alcohol and caffeine can bump your sleep schedule off track, and that’s the last thing you want to happen when you’re traveling.
While a nightcap might be tempting, travelers are typically advised against using alcohol as a sleep aid. Even though a glass of wine might make you feel tired, it's also a REM sleep inhibitor, which means that you won't get the rest you need even when you do fall asleep.
If you really want a nightcap before you climb into bed, consider a glass of warm milk or a mug of herbal, decaf tea instead. Your body will thank you in the morning, and you’ll be fully prepared to take on your day of travel.
Keep Your Tootsies Toasty
Nobody likes cold feet, right? But it’s especially unpleasant when you’re trying to sleep.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, wearing socks to bed while you're traveling may help you snooze better. When you're on the road, thawing out your cold feet can make it easier to get a good night's rest. So, don’t forget to pack your favorite fuzzy socks.
Make a Sleep Kit
Every traveler – seasoned pro or starry-eyed newbie – will tell you to put together a sleep kit of some sort. Maybe it’s a silky sleep mask and a pair of fuzzy socks to keep your feet warm, maybe it’s your secret stash of NAPJITSU REST to help you get deeper sleep while traveling. Whatever is in it, make sure you always have your trusty sleep kit with you when you’re traveling so you get the best sleep possible.
Take a NAP(JITSU)
Just because you’re traveling, it doesn’t mean that you have to give up on a good night’s sleep.
With NAPJITSU, we have the perfect solution: the Empowered Nap.
Once you get settled into your home-away-from-home, take NAPJITSU NAP and settle in for a deeply restorative nap. After about 30 minutes, you’ll wake up feeling clear – never groggy –thanks to time-released caffeine and nootropics that help sharpen your brain and wake you up fully so you can take on your travels.
The real-life rocket scientists at NASA found that naps helped improve their astronauts’ performance by 34% and alertness by 100%. So… it’s definitely worth trying, especially if you’re traveling.
Stick to Your Normal Routine
Whatever your purpose for traveling, you probably have a packed itinerary.
If you want to make the most of your time away, you may want to stay out until the very last moment. But make sure to give yourself enough time to do your normal bedtime routine. Make sure you stick with what you usually do. If you usually read for an hour before bed or grab a snack before bed, stick with it. Altering your normal routine might make falling asleep harder.
BYOP (Bring Your Own Pillow)
According to recent studies, lousy pillows are the biggest barrier to good sleep. It turns out that people who didn't like their pillows were 3x more likely to have poor sleep.
When you’re traveling and sleeping in a new place, you’re not guaranteed to have the perfect pillow. So…pack your own.
Give Yourself a Break
Even with all of these strategies, sometimes, you might still suffer through a sleepless night while traveling. And though the next morning generally requires a few extra shots of espresso, what helps most is giving yourself a break. If you’re not sleeping well, just remember there’s always tomorrow. When you stop stressing out over the fear of not sleeping, more often than not, you can manage to squeeze in some zzzzz’s.
Tired of not getting enough sleep while you’re traveling? We’ve all been there. Hopefully these tips and tricks will help you on your next adventure. The proof is in the pudding — now it’s your turn. Try NAPJITSU next time you’re traveling and see what the fuss is all about.
Subscribe now and save on every shipment of NAPJITSU, so you save money and never run out while you’re traveling.
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