Vacation is an exciting time for you to explore new places, learn new things, and spend time with your family and friends. However, when it comes to your sleep, vacation can be a time of disruption, one that might make it even harder for you to get adequate rest. As much as you want to enjoy your vacation, you do need sufficient sleep. So, how do you encourage better rest and balance your need for adventure while you’re out exploring?
That’s precisely what we’re going to talk about in this article. We’ll explore how vacation disrupts your sleep, how you can prepare for your vacation ahead of time, how to ensure a proper sleep-friendly environment in a new location, and how you can balance your planned activities with your need for rest. No matter if you’re traveling abroad or simply a few hours away to see your family soon, this is the guide you need to enjoy a great vacation.
How Vacations Can Disrupt Your Sleep
The truth is, as lovely as the vacation can be for your rest and recovery from work and school, it can also cause disruptions to your sleep. While some have touted the benefits of a much-needed break in one’s sleep, it’s impossible to ignore how vacation-related illnesses or even time changes can impact your sleep, making you more exhausted despite perceived good sleep.
More so than that, people can also experience even more stress before and during their trip, mainly due to planning and ensuring that their travel plans continue as planned. What this leads to, however, are sleep problems, travel fatigue, and even excitement, some of which can hinder your ability to rest. So, how can you prepare for your vacation so you get better sleep? We have a few tips for you to help you get ready for your next trip!
Prepare Yourself for Better Sleep Before You Even Leave Home
If you want to ensure that you get better rest while you’re on vacation, then you’ll have to take steps ahead of time to be ready. One of the first steps that you can take is choosing the right travel itinerary. It’s best to avoid overly packing your schedule, allowing for optimal rest, and ensuring that you don’t put yourself in a position to face significant, unbearable jet lag.
Additionally, you can also create a sleep kit to help you sleep better, especially if you are flying to your destination or encountering a time difference. In settings that are noisy, you can use melatonin, ear plugs, and eye masks, which can help you get better rest, even in unfamiliar, loud, and bright locations (Source: Critical Care).
Finally, the last tip to help you prepare for your trip is to plan ahead. If you are changing time zones, don’t be afraid to switch your sleep schedule. If you’re flying two hours behind, you can try to go to bed later, whereas you can adjust your sleep schedule the other way if you are traveling ahead of your usual time zone.
Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment While on Vacation
If you have a jam-packed schedule for your vacation, there’s no reason for you to change your plans, especially if you can take steps to prioritize your rest while you’re in a new location. That means setting up your hotel room to encourage rest, including through the use of white noise machines, blackout curtains, or by requesting a room away from the city streets or highways.
It also means limiting social media and digital time. As much fun as it can be to spend time updating friends and family on your trip, spending time online on social media has been associated with later bedtimes, while spending time with family can actually encourage longer sleep duration (Source: Journal of Adolescent Health).
You can also bring items like your favorite pillow or blanket. While hotel beds can be a great deal comfier at times, there’s nothing quite like having your own stuff with you! With that in mind as well, don’t forget to turn down the thermostat. If you’ve had a long day at the pool and you’re preparing to go to the amusement park tomorrow, you’ll need all the rest you can get, which means ensuring you’re in a space that is cool and comfortable.
What Can I Do to Balance Activities and Rest While on Vacation?
It’s inevitable that you’ll feel some exhaustion while on your trip, especially if you have a full schedule for your time away. That’s why you can take steps to ensure you’re balancing rest and relaxation with fun excursions and activities. Here are some tips you can use for your next trip:
- Pace Yourself: While you might feel the urge to be on the go, it’s crucial to balance your efforts. Pace yourself to avoid vacation burnout and schedule downtime, including days of little activity.
- Schedule Naps: Naps can be beneficial for those who are traveling across time zones. If you’re struggling with jet lag or vacation fatigue, naps early in the morning can help you feel more awake, while later naps might reduce sleepiness. You can use Pillow’s smart nap feature to schedule your naps throughout your trip!
- Live a Healthy Lifestyle: As always, it is essential to take care of yourself. That means having a consistent evening routine, eating healthy foods, drinking enough water, and avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed.
As long as you listen to your body and you know when to take a break and when to head out to your next adventure, you can enjoy a great vacation with your friends and family, while still seeing all that you desire!
Achieve Balance and Enjoy a Restful, Adventurous Vacation
Vacations aren’t all about being on the go but about finding balance and getting a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. As long as you prepare yourself before you leave, take steps when you’re there, and also keep your energy levels high, you can enjoy the best trip ever.
