Sleep Well When Traveling

Here are some tips for how to wake up feeling rested, and do everything that you want to do while you are on your trip.

Bring Your Own Pillowcase

There is nothing quite like sleeping with your pillow that you regularly use at home. However, this is not always possible when traveling, especially by plane, when you have limited room to store your items. A great compromise is to pack the pillowcase, rather than the full pillow. Your pillowcase has a unique scent and texture, which will remind you of home and help you fall asleep much more quickly. It can easily fit into your suitcase or carry on bag, without limiting space for other necessities, and can also be used to sleep on the airplane.

Set Sleep Hours for REM Cycles

When you are traveling, you may not have the option to get as many hours of sleep as you would like. One easy trick for making yourself feel more alert throughout the day, especially when you first wake up in the morning, is to time your sleep so that you wake up after a complete REM cycle. This is a great tactic if you are wondering how to get more rem sleep because this stage of the sleep cycle is the most restorative and beneficial for your body. A full REM cycle lasts approximately ninety minutes, so set your alarm, giving yourself time to fall asleep, so that you will wake up after the completion of a cycle.

Take Melatonin Before Bed

Melatonin is a great option for when you suffer from jet lag and need to reset your schedule, and sync it with the local time. For its maximum effect, take a melatonin capsule or supplement thirty minutes to an hour before you plan on going to bed. If you have travel anxiety, and experience difficulty falling asleep, then this may be extremely beneficial for you. You can also naturally release melatonin by increasing your magnesium intake, which is an agent in your brain producing more of the sleep inducing chemical. The quicker you are on the schedule of your country or city, the more easily you can begin doing activities that you want to cross off of your trip bucket list.

Spray Your Sheets with the Scent of Home

If you commonly use a sheet spray, essential oil diffuser, or other way to scent your room while you are sleeping at home, then you should try to bring it along with you when you are traveling. Lavender sheet spray has a wonderful calming effect and help you to fall asleep and stay asleep. Try to find odors that remind you of home, and put them into a convenient bottle that you can bring with you, no matter where you are vacationing to.

Use a White Noise Machine

White noise can be incredibly helpful for your sleep in general, but it is more beneficial when you are in unfamiliar territory. If you regularly utilize white noise to get better sleep, then obviously this habit will help you to fall asleep faster in an unfamiliar location. Another potential hindrance of traveling is that your hotel will most likely be in the city, where urban life can make noise at all hours of the night. There are many smartphone applications that perfectly simulate white, brown, or even pink noise, depending on your preferences.

You should not have to worry about how you will sleep comfortably when you are traveling. With these tips and tricks, you will be able to wake up each and every day feeling rested and energized. When you get quality sleep, you can devote your energy to enjoying and making the most out of your trip