Traveling is exciting and while the excitement is a good thing, it can combine with other factors to deprive you of a good night sleep. Excitement, the anxiety of being in a new place and changing of time zones are some of the reasons why some people have trouble sleeping while traveling. Whether you are going on a business or leisure trip, the importance of sleeping well during a trip needs to be emphasized. You do not want to get to that business meeting with swollen eyelids or go to the beach and instead of relaxing all you can do is a yawn! How can you sleep well when traveling? Here are some tips that will help you.
Invest in earplugs for sleeping
Flights will almost always be noisy and if it is a long flight, getting through it without sleeping will result in arriving tired and feeling sick. If you will be traveling on flights that take longer than 3 hours, consider purchasing ear plugs for sleeping. These need to have a noise-cancellation feature that gets rid of all the external noises.
This provides you with a quiet environment in which to fall asleep. Better yet, invest in a white noise machine which plays a sound of your choice that helps you fall asleep. The sound can be anything from ocean waves to falling water and others. Ensure that the sound is something you are familiar with and it has a soothing effect on you.
Alternatively, you can choose to listen to soothing music. Ear plugs for sleeping will not only help you during the flight but also when you reach your destination. Your hotel room could be near a noisy place which can cause you problems in falling asleep. When this happens,
just grab the ear plugs and you will feel comfortable to sleep.
Adjust to the local time
If you are traveling to a destination with a time zone different from that of your home country, you better start following the destination’s time zone early. Compare the time when the flight departs. Are the people there sleeping or is it day time? If it is night time there then you better catch some sleep so you can be at par with them when you arrive.
Do not just get there and head straight to your hotel room and nap if you get there during the day. Explore some of the sites and your body will be ready for sleep when night falls. Never use your home’s time zone as this could see you active when others are asleep and vice versa. There really is no fun in being the opposite of your hosts. It may help to start adjusting to the time zone before departure.
Drink enough water
Dehydration can make a person cranky and tired. These effects are increased by high altitude (like on flights). To avoid this, increase your fluid intake before, during and after the flight. Instead of relying on the water provided by the airline, carry your own bottle to ensure you are well-hydrated at all times. Hydration is very important to ensure you sleep well.
Use Eye Masks and Sleeping Pills
When trying to sleep in a place that is well-lit like a plane, your brain has a hard time determining that it is time to sleep. This is because the body interprets light as an indication to wake up and dark for
sleeping. To solve this, simply use a dark eye mask. Snugly cover your eyes with this and the darkness will make it easy to fall asleep.
Have you been tossing and turning but cannot get any sleep? Sleeping pills may help. These must be taken in the right dosage and used only when needed. Never abuse sleeping pills because they may become useless when you need them.
Dress comfortably
We all know that trying to sleep in a suit is very hard. Though wearing your pajamas on a flight may seems unorthodox, they can help you fall asleep faster. Another less attention-drawing choice is to wear comfortable clothes like sweat pants and hoodies. These will lull you to sleep much better than tight and uncomfortable clothes.
When you reach the destination, try to make your sleeping area as similar to your home’s as you can. Wear the same pajamas you wear at home. Even if you want to experience the best of the host country’s culture, trying new sleeping clothes is a bad idea. It will only make you toss and turn on the bed.
With the five tips above you will not have much trouble falling asleep. It will be as easy as if you were home. Happy travels!
