Hotel room sleep hacks

 Struggle to get to get your beauty sleep when you travel for work? You’re not alone.

Here are some handy hacks to ensure you sleep like a baby next time you travel.

1. Pack your sleep kit

These days, many hotels have good block out curtains, however you won’t know until you arrive. Always take a good quality eye mask that fits your face snuggly and, because we are more sensitive to noise when in an unfamiliar environment, take along a good quality pair of earplugs. Make your ‘sleep kit’ a staple item in your suitcase. If you prefer not to sleep in complete silence, download a white noise app. The Relax Melodies app, for example, has a white noise option along with natural sounds like thunderstorms, rain, birds or the ocean.

2. Make a room request

If possible, avoid rooms facing a pool, near elevators or near common areas. Rooms midway along a hallway are generally the quietest, as they are away from vending machines, guest laundry facilities, exits and housekeeping closets.

3. Bring a little piece of home

Bring a few items from home that can help to make your hotel room feel familiar. Perhaps you like to finish the day with a cup of herbal tea? Pack some in your suitcase and unwind with your favourite cuppa. Take a book that you’re already reading and enjoying at home to help add to the continuity. Additionally, our sense of smell is particularly powerful and familiar aromas can send positive signals to the brain that will help prime you for sleep. Bring a small blanket from home or a travel tin candle in your favourite scent.

4. Draw the curtains

It may sound obvious, but when we arrive at our hotel late at night, we often don’t plan for the light in the morning.  Check out where the light may enter the room when the sun comes up and ensure it’s blocked out. One neat trick is to pack some clothing pegs or binder clips so you can pinch difficult curtains together. A rolled up towel under the door can also help block hallway light.

5. Set an optimal temperature

If you have air conditioning, make sure to set the room temperature to a level you are comfortable, ensuring it’s somewhere between 15.5 and 19.5 degrees, which is the best temperature range for sleep.

6. Block out the blue

If you’re on a work trip and using technology at night, make sure you have downloaded an app to block out the blue light on your laptop or device eg “f.lux”.  Blue light inhibits melatonin production – a hormone essential for sleep.  Given that your body won’t produce melatonin for up to 4 hours after staring at your laptop, this is a very useful app.

7. Adjust your eye line

Another secret of falling asleep faster is to position your line of sight on an upward 45 degree angle while your eyelids are shut. This is an ancient technique used in martial arts and can help keep away stressful thoughts, put your mind at ease and make it easier to rest and drift away. Give it a try!

8. Smile

If you’re feeling stressed about an upcoming meeting or what’s on the agenda for the next day, this will inhibit your sleep. The best thing you can do as you’re getting ready to doze off is smile. Seems silly, but when you smile, it’s a lot harder to have stressful thoughts.

Do you have any hotel room sleep hacks? Let us know!

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