09 Jul How To Get a Good Night’s Sleep on Vacation

A good night’s sleep leads to a great week’s getaway! Don’t let your sleep schedule suffer when you’re away from home. We’ve come up with some helpful tips and tricks to help you enjoy a restful vacation.

True or False?

You need less sleep as you get older. False

• While children and teens need more sleep (8-10 hour a night), adults and elderly consistently need 7-9 hours a night—this does not decrease with age.

You can catch up on your sleep from the week over the weekend. False

• It is a common misconception that if you did not get the sleep you needed during the week, you can sleep a few hours extra on the weekends to make up for it. The effect of this will last for a couple hours after waking, but after that your performance levels will become about 10 times slower than what they were during the day.

Even natural sleep aids have risks. True

• Herbal sleep remedies are believed to be natural and a better alternative to prescribed sleeping medications. However, there are still risks involved. For example, kava kava is a medicine from the Pacific Islands that has been used as a sleep aid, but it has been linked to cases of liver and kidney failure. Always consult your doctor before trying any sleep remedy—herbal or otherwise.

Watching TV helps you fall asleep. False

• Many people use the flickering light and background noise as a natural distraction and sleep aid. But research has shown sleeping with the TV on can cause health problems such as depression. The blue hue of the television light can also stop your body from producing melatonin (the sleep hormone), causing you to feel alert and awake.

Daytime naps help you catch up on rest. True

• Taking a cat nap during the day can improve your performance and keep you more alert during daily tasks. A 25 minute nap is long enough to refresh your body and mind and keep you functioning at your best.

Sleep Well on Vacation

Most people go on vacation to relax, but end up returning drained and exhausted. It is easy to try to do it all, even if that means staying up for all hours or rising at the crack of dawn to make sure you see and do as much as possible. Getting enough sleep while on vacation is key—not only for your general health, but to get the most enjoyment out of your time away.

Fun fact – Memories are embedded in our brain during sleep. This is also when we are growing more brain cells. So to truly “make memories” on your vacation, make sure you get a good night’s sleep so that they stick in your brain forever!

Vacation Sleeping Tips

Set a bedtime – This may vary depending on your evening schedule, but setting a group bedtime will help regulate your sleeping schedule and help you to better plan your activities for the following day.
Pro tip – It is fair to say that parents may not want to go to sleep as early as the kids may need to. With a full suite from ResortRentals.com, the kids can go to bed in their own room while the parents enjoy some adult time in the separate living area.

Do something active after dinner – It’s common to feel drowsy after eating a big meal. And since you’re on vacation, it’s likely that you will splurge and eat more or differently than you are used to. To fight that food coma feeling, plan an activity to do after eating, such as a walk or a swim in the pool. That way, once you fall asleep at a normal time, you’re more likely to stay asleep.
Pro tip – You will feel more awake after exercise and may find it hard to fall asleep right away. Plan ahead—watch a movie with your family back in your vacation suite to wind down before hitting the hay. (sweetchildbirth.com)

Make time to nap – If you have a busy morning with a lot of evening plans as well, it’s smart to take a mid-afternoon nap. Everyone can benefit from this. Even just a quick catnap will get you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated for the night ahead.
Pro tip – Just because you’re napping, doesn’t mean it needs to be in your room. Take a snooze by the pool or close your eyes on a beach towel and hear the soothing sounds of the ocean. But if you plan on dozing off outside, don’t forget the sunscreen!

For more tips and tricks on how to get the best night’s sleep, visit SleepJunkies.com.