World & Travel

Travel Hacks: How to Sleep Better While You’re Traveling

When you travel, you often experience a sense of excitement. It doesn’t matter if you are traveling for business or pleasure. There is just something about being away from home that stimulates the mind. That would especially be true if you are going on a fun-filled vacation with lots of attractions you want to visit.

The one thing that can interfere with your ability to focus on and enjoy your travels would be issued with sleeping. Just the fact that you will be trying to sleep away from the comforts of your bed is enough to throw off your body’s sleep barometer. Factor in a bit of planned excitement, and getting a good night’s sleep could become a challenge. Since you don’t want to feel tired while enjoying your travel plans, you need to make sure you can still get the sleep you need. With that in mind, here are some travel hacks that could help you sleep better while traveling.

1 Take Your Own Bedding

It can be a challenge to sleep in a new bed the first couple of nights traveling. Since familiarity breeds comfort, you might consider taking some of your bedding with you on a long trip. That could include your own pillow, a blanket, and maybe even your sheets if you know what size bed in which you would be sleeping. Your pillow could also be helpful if you would need to sleep on a long flight.

travel blanket
Since familiarity breeds comfort, you might consider taking some of your bedding with you on a long trip.

2 Avoid Jet Lag

If your travel plans cover a week or two, it would be a shame if you had to spend the first couple of days being dragged down by jet lag. Here are a few things you can do to help diminish the chances of you getting hit with jet lag:

  • Use sunlight and food to keep your body clock regulated to sleep time at home
  • Take melatonin supplements to promote sleep
  • Start adjusting your body clock to the destination time zone three days before you travel
  • Stay active if you land at your destination in the morning
  • Avoid long naps and save the resting you need for bedtime
Jet Lag
Try to avoid spending the first couple of days being dragged down by jet lag.

3 Strategize Your Naps

The more rest you get, the more likely you will have the energy to do everything you want or need to do at your travel destination. An excellent way to get a little extra rest is to come up with an effective strategy that will let you grab a nap or two so you can stay fresh during the day. The one thing you want to avoid is taking long naps that might distract from your ability to sleep at night.

nap.
The one thing you want to avoid is taking long naps that might distract from your ability to sleep at night.

4 Sleeping on the Plane

During long international or cross-country flights, you might want or need to sleep on the plane. If you anticipate that being the case, here are a few tips for plane sleeping:

  • No caffeine or alcohol on travel day and maybe the day before
  • Wear loose-fitting and comfortable clothes that are suitable for lounging
  • Take your shoes off to sleep and elevate your feet as much as possible
  • Take an eye mask to block out any light
  • Get a sleeping aid if you think you might need one
nap
During long international or cross-country flights, you might want or need to sleep on the plane.

5 Check Your Hotel Room for Comfort

Your hotel will be your home while at your travel destination. Before you sign in to your hotel room, ask the clerk to let you see the room first if possible. During your inspection, you should be looking for anything about the room that might interfere with your ability to get a good night’s sleep. That would include laying on the bed and making sure it’s suitable for your needs. If you see any potential sleep issues, it’s okay to ask for a room switch if the hotel allows for such.

Check Hotel Room
Before you sign in to your hotel room, ask the clerk to let you see the room first if possible.

6 Traveling With Kids

If you take a long vacation with the kids, you might think that saving money by sharing a room/bed would be a good idea. It’s a bad idea for everyone involved. While it will cost extra money, the whole family will get better sleep if the travel arrangements are the same as home.

7 Winding Down Time

After an exciting and stressful day at your travel destination, you might find it difficult to calm down at bedtime. You can help address that problem by shutting off electronic devices one hour before you want to sleep. You might also want to do a couple of stretches followed by a warm bath just before crawling underneath the covers to go to sleep.

shutting off electronic devices before sleeping
You can help address that problem by shutting off electronic devices one hour before you want to sleep.

Traveling should always be a fun experience, no matter where the location is or the reason why you’re traveling. And while it should be a fun experience, having issues with sleeping can hinder your ability to have fun and enjoy your travels. Applying these different travel hacks during your next trip will hopefully enable you to sleep better while traveling.

Nada Osama

Nada Osama, an experienced blogger with 7 years of expertise, captivates readers with her engaging content. Covering lifestyle, travel, personal development, and more, Nada offers valuable insights and practical tips to enhance readers' lives. With a passion for exploring different cultures and cuisines, Nada finds joy in immersing herself in new experiences. Her love for travel and discovering hidden gems shines through in her writing, inspiring readers to embark on their own journeys of exploration. Stay connected with Nada Osama by subscribing to our blog and joining her vibrant online community. As a respected authority in the blogging world, Nada's expertise has garnered recognition and collaborations with like-minded individuals and brands. Embark on a journey of discovery with Nada Osama as your guide. Her immersive blog will enrich your life and leave you inspired to embrace new possibilities. More »
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