Travel & Sleep: Tips and Tricks to Sleep Better While Travelling

The Ultimate Guide to Sleeping Better When Travelling

Do you often find that when you travel for work, your sleep is interrupted? This can be a tough situation to deal with. After all, as we’ve discussed before on our blog, getting enough sleep is important because it can help improve productivity and performance at work. There are some tips and tricks that business travellers can use to make sure they get a good night’s sleep.

In this blog post, you’ll learn the following:

• What are the reasons that a person can’t I sleep when travelling
• How to sleep better while travelling
• Managing Jet Lag
• 9 tips to falling asleep faster?
• Should I take sleeping pills while travelling?
• What travel accessories can help to sleep better?

And much more!

What are the reasons that a person can’t sleep when travelling

There are a number of reasons that people don’t sleep well when they travel for work. some of the common reasons are:

1. Feeling anxious and stressed etc About the upcoming day’s events
2. Fear of flying
3. All kinds of stress associated with packing
4. Motion Sickness
5. Trips with long travel times.
6. Interruptions or delays to the itinerary.
7. Aeroplane cabin pressurization.
8. A prolonged period of sitting can result in swelling of the legs, stiffness, and decreased exercise.

The reasons could go on and on. The question you have in mind is how?

How to Sleep Well While Traveling

We have put together a list of tips and tricks that business travellers can use to ensure they get the most rest possible while travelling.

Plan ahead. When planning a trip, don’t leave last-minute details to the last minute. Preparation and planning for travelling can reduce stress.

Sleep-Kit. Prepare a sleep kit for your trip. Things to include in the sleep-kit are Eye mask, earplugs, lavender oil and a sleep app like Sleep Cycle.

Stress Less. be mindful of potential delays that cannot be controlled. Manage your expectation and you will be less stressed.

Wear loose-fitting apparel. Wear comfortable clothing that is breathable, and bring an additional layer if it is chilly.

Recline your Seats. Sleep quality and quantity increase as the angle of recline increase

Block out surroundings. Make use of earplugs and eye covers to block out your sight and hearing.

Travel Pillow. In a seatup position, give your head and neck the support they need.

Off-peak Travel. If and when possible. There will be lesser commotion and a little more opportunity to stretch out.

Don’t over-schedule. If it is within your control. During the first few days of your trip, try not to overschedule yourself and allow plenty of time to rest.

Stay hydrated. Stay hydrated while travelling by drinking water before, during, and after your journey

Maintain high personal hygiene. Use sanitisers regularly to prevent respiratory illness.

White Noise Device. White noise consists of low-, medium-, and high-frequency sounds played simultaneously at the same level of intensity.  An abrupt change in sound consistency from soft to loud can disrupt your sleep. Essentially, white noise masks these sudden consistency changes by creating a blanket of sound.

Blackout curtains. When possible, request a hotel room with blackout curtains. By blocking out any light exposure from the window, you will be have uninterrupted sleep.

Balance Diet. Take care of your physical health to maintain a balanced diet.( learn more here : my article link )

Moderate coffee and alcohol intake. Managed the intake. Having too much of either will throw off your sleep cycle

Exercise routine.  You should get at least one type of physical activity a day.( learn more here : my article link )

Regular sleep schedule. As long as you sleep in a regular rhythm, your biological clock will stay in sync and your body will continue to function normally.

Relaxation techniques. Relaxation techniques like deep breathing and mindfulness meditation can be used to calm the body and mind, reducing stress and making it easier to sleep.

MANAGING JET LAG

Circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders, such as jet lag, occur when your 24-hour internal clock does not match the local day-night cycle.

Plan your travel plans in advance and so that you can make adjustments when needed. Gradually adjust your sleeping habits to the time zone of your destination several days before your trip. When boarding the flight, reset your watch to the new time zone and try not to sleep too much during the flight. Upon arrival, try to stay up during the daytime and maintain a brightly lit environment. If you are near bedtime, taking melatonin supplements may help reduce jet lag symptoms and improve sleep as well.

9 Tips to falling asleep faster

Having a good night sleep is so important. But there are 35.2% of adults in the U.S. have reported on average for less than seven hours of sleep per night.

So what can we do to sleep well and fall asleep fast?

1. Adjust Room Temperature down. Adjust the room temperature. For optimal sleep, the best temperature for an adult is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Breathing method. Adopted The “4-7-8” method that Dr. Andrew Weil. A simple breathing technique that induces calmness and relaxation.

This is how you can do it:

1. Take a deep breath through your mouth, make a quick rushing sound.
2. Inhale quietly through your nose while counting to four mentally.
3. Count to seven while you hold your breath.
4. As you exhale, make a whooshing sound to the count of eight.
5. Repeat this procedure three times more for a total of four breaths.

For more information, you can refer to the handout by Dr Andrew Weils.

3. Look away from the clock. Insomniacs often watch the clock. Sleeplessness may be caused by this behaviour.

4. Don’t nap in the day. Research has shown that sleep quality could be adversely affected by frequent long naps (at least two hours).

5. Music Therapy. Sleep quality can be significantly improved by music. Even chronic sleep disorders, such as insomnia, can be improved with it.

6. No Caffeine. As a stimulant, it can disrupt sleeping patterns.

7. Mindfulness Meditation. Practising mindfulness meditation improves the quality of sleep. according to the research conduct by Jama Internal Medicine.

8. Develop Sleep Routine. With a regular sleep routine, our body regulatory system known as circadian rhythm will signal your body to feel alert during the day and sleepy during the night.

Keeping a regular sleep schedule will allow your body to adjust, which will make it easier for you to fall asleep and wake up at the same time every day.

9. Use the blackout curtains and keep your phone (and its lights) away from your bedside table if possible.

Should I take sleeping pills while travelling?

In 2019, FDA stepped up its warnings about sleeping pills. Rare but fatal incidents happening.

If you decide to take any medication (if any), there are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Make sure you test it out at home first. Find out how your body reacts to those medications.
2. Take into consideration the length of the flight and how long the effect of the medication last.
3. The Big NO. Do not mix any medication with alcohol.
4. Lastly, and most importantly. You should always consult a doctor before taking any medications.

Try melatonin.

Melatonin levels typically rise around two hours before bedtime, preparing your body for sleep. While travelling, your body might need a little push. The over-the-counter medications you can purchase are sleep aids like melatonin, Up to 10 milligrams.

What are the six best travel accessories for better sleep??

1. Travel Pillow
2. Sleep Mask
3. Earplug or noise-cancelling headphones
4. Self-filter water bottle
5. Comfy clothes
6. Sleeping-aid Mobile App

Conclusion

The tips and tricks we’ve outlined are designed to help you sleep better on the road. Whether you want a good night’s rest before an important meeting or just need your energy back so that you can enjoy exploring all of the local sights, these effective techniques will be sure to get your brain in gear for whatever challenges await! Make sure not to forget about this article when it comes time to pack for your next business trip. Please feel free share with friends and family so that they can also benefit from it.