Sleep struggles? 6 ways to get more shut-eye on your business trip

Unfamiliar surroundings, a head full of meetings, and probably too much coffee. If you’re struggling to sleep when you’re out of town, try these six suggestions for a more restful night.

Don’t just aim high in your business meetings

When you’re booking your hotel room, location is more important than you might think. If you stay in a room higher up, you’re distancing yourself from the noisy street and car parks outside. In addition to this, don’t be afraid to ask for a room that’s further away from the lift.

Lift areas are noisy and you can guarantee that they’ll interrupt your sleep. It might also be tempting to ask for a room close to a glamorous infinity pool (we all want that picture for Instagram), but these areas of hotels typically attract people in the evening, meaning more noise and less sleep. If you’re looking for a great night’s sleep, trade a slightly longer walk to the pool or gym for peace and quiet.

For some it’s always allergy season

Travelling and staying in hotels means you’re going to encounter far more cleaning products, washing detergents, and fabrics. If you’ve got work to do in the morning, you certainly don’t want to find yourself discovering a sensitivity or allergy that’s out of your control. Itchy eyes, a dry throat, or a runny nose certainly won’t help you get that night of sleep you need.

Over the counter antihistamines are easy to find in most shops. They also won’t take up as much space as packing a pillow. They’re available in various quantities meaning you can make sure you’ve got enough for your whole trip.

Sleep with your own pillow

Perhaps your allergies really are that bad and antihistamines alone won’t do. Or you’ve stayed at a particular hotel before and just didn’t like the pillows. In this case, pack a pillow.

A lack of familiarity causes most sleep problems when people stay at hotels. Bringing your own pillow or even bed linens will make you feel more in control of your stay and as a result, more comfortable. Just make sure to tell the hotel staff that you’re bringing your own pillow, that way it won’t be replaced during cleaning. Some travellers also prefer to use a brightly coloured pillow case for an extra reminder not to forget to pack it before checking out.

Sleep routines aren’t just for kids

We’ve all suffered many sleepless nights because of jet lag. If you’re travelling you’re likely going to find yourself in a different time zone and have your sleep cycle thrown completely out of balance. The problem is not being able to get the right amount of sleep when you want it. Trying to cram 8 hours into the first night might be creating more problems than you think. Sleeping is a complicated process and routine can be the key to a good night’s sleep.

Studies have shown that irregular bed time routines result in more sleeping difficulties than not actually getting enough sleep (Scientific reports, 2018). If you’re staying in a hotel for a few nights and find yourself ahead or behind your native time-zone, commit to setting a bed-time routine for your stay. For example aim to get ready for bed at the same time each night, even if this means staying up a little later or going to bed earlier than usual the first night. Gaining or losing an hour or two of sleep on the first night could prove invaluable for the rest of the trip.

Embrace the darkness

It’s easy to underestimate just how specific we like our sleeping environment to be; that is until the standby light of a the TV feels like a floodlight that’s intent on keeping you awake.

The Sleep Foundation (The Sleep foundation, 2020), recommends trying to sleep in a near to pitch darkness as possible. Their research shows that it provides a wide variety of health benefits. But more importantly reduces potential distractions that cause fragmented and disturbed sleep.

Next time you’re packing for a trip, include a small roll of opaque tape. You can use this to cover up any bright standby lights in your room. Don’t forget those pesky curtains either. You can take a bulldog clip with you to hold them shut if they’re letting light through while you’re trying to get your beauty sleep. If both of these tips aren’t enough, pack an eye mask to. Combining the three will get you about as much darkness as darkness gets.

Treat your senses with some aromatherapy

You’ve got your toiletries bag packed right? It’s time to add a new addition. Packing a pillow isn’t always an option, but packing one small extra for improved sleep certainly is.

The Sleep Foundation has found that certain scents “promote relaxation that makes it easier to fall asleep and have a well-rested feeling the next day.”. In a poll 78% of people said they were more excited for bed when their sheets had a fresh scent. It’s certainly seems worth finding a fresh and not-too-intrusive bed time scent to take with you. It can be used before bed as part of your new routine. Among a few others; Rose, Lavender, Rosemary, and Jasmine are great scents for lulling us into a deep and relaxed sleep. Try a few and see what works best for you. (The Sleep Foundation, 2020).

What are we going to do about it?

The Ortharize platform is designed to make travelling stress free, saving your time for the more important details. Once you’ve breezed through booking your trip you can forget about any unnecessary admin usually involved with a business trip. All of your information for the trip will be consolidated into one place. This includes invoicing details and the other confirmation documents you’d normally have to send to a travel approving manager or accounting team. They’ll have access to them too, meaning you can relax, and get that stress free sleep that you need.

Get started today by emailing us at [email protected] or visiting our sign up page here. It takes two minutes to sign your company up and we’re on hand to help with any queries, if you have them. We also offer personalised demos and can help with platform setup through our expert implementation team. And if you need help shaping sustainable and environmentally-friendly travel policies that work for you, we can do that too.