Glinda the Good Witch tells Dorothy to think to herself, “There is no place like home,” and many of you might agree. When it comes to sleeping in a strange place, such as when you are on a business trip or a vacation, sleeping can seem like a task. You might not have all of the accouterments that make you feel as comfortable as when you are at home. What can you do to sleep better when you can’t sleep at home in your bed?
- Keep your routine - Your body will be accustomed to different triggers, letting it know that it’s time to go to sleep. That means that whatever nightly routine you have, try to stick to it as closely as possible.
- Go to sleep earlier - If you are concerned that you will have trouble falling asleep because you aren’t sleeping in your bed, then counteract this by going to bed earlier than what you normally would.
- Bring your pillow - If you are accustomed to sleeping on a thin and flat pillow, you might not have a thin pillow available to you when traveling. Or maybe the pillows available aren’t thick or firm enough for your taste. If you bring your pillow, you are more likely to achieve the same level of comfort that you are used to in your bed.
- Bring a piece of home - Things such as pajamas and blankets that are scented like your home can act as comfort objects, which can help you to get better rest. Don’t be scared to bring a piece of home with you on your travels.
- Bring an alarm clock - Many people use their mobile devices as alarm clocks in the morning, and because of this many hotels no longer have bedside alarm clocks in their rooms. The soft glow of an alarm clock can serve as a nightlight in a strange place, and for this reason, bringing a travel alarm clock with you might be a good idea.
- Use earplugs and eye masks - If you are in a hotel or resort that has a lot of children staying there, you might find yourself woken up to a lot of noise in the morning. It’s also possible that the room you are in faces the rising sun, and the curtains there might not adequately block out that light. Earplugs and eye masks can help with these and other similar sound and light issues. You might want to consider using them for a few days before your trip, as for some people they do take getting used to.
Hopefully, with these few hints, you’ll be able to sleep just as well when you travel as when you are home. Then instead of thinking, “There is no place like home,” you can start thinking, “It’s almost as good as home.”
