We’re all going on a summer holiday! We hope that most of you share in our joy that the world feels a little less restricted right now and that our vision of sandy white beaches, palm trees and the waves gently lapping around our ankles seems a little more real this year.

And we’re sure that as the summer arrives, although right now it seems to be taking its time, many will be very excited to get away. Leaving behind the daily grind and hustle of everyday life for a brand new change of scene. And the satisfaction of setting that ‘out-of-office’ email!

Of course, travelling can be stressful, and it never seems to get any better no matter how far or near your destination. Airports, check-ins and transfers; we’re in pieces just thinking about the process. And then there’s the packing. Lots to pack and so many things that could be forgotten. 

The passport usually rules top of the list, followed by suitable clothing, suntan lotion and good vibes. But if there’s one thing you don’t want to leave behind, it’s your carefully cultivated sleep cycle, and most probably your comfortable and familiar bed too.

So, in the dawn of a much more eventful holiday season this year (fingers crossed!), we’re here to share how you can pack good sleep in your suitcase too.

Tiresome Travel

It’s not usual to be up for 24+ hours when travelling, and the journey from A to B can be a real killer. Not only do you have to wake up and get to the airport on time, and heaven forbid you’ve been sentenced to a 6am flight, but then there’s the waiting around and checking in, and boarding and sitting and standing and shuffling.

Flight seats and unforgivably uncomfortable, and many find it unnatural to find sleep whilst sitting in an upright position. A special and select few are the masters of the mile high snooze club, and we envy people who achieve such feats in their life, but for the rest of us, we may not expect to sleep again until we’ve made it all the way through to the other end of our journey.

But then throw times zones into the equation. The general rule of thumb for these when travellingis that the more time zones you fly across, the more days it’ll take your sleep cycle to fully recover; you won’t want to be playing catch-up with your sleep whilst you’re trying to make the most of your getaway. 

Overall, travel of any kind can be very stressful, and it requires a good night’s rest on both ends of transit to make it through all the way. Don’t let your energy be zapped away before you’ve even landed. 

Tips for In-Transit Sleeping

Full Preparation 

Preparation is key to avoiding any stressful and sleepless travel experiences. Try to make sure that you’re packing a week in advance, go to bed on time the night before and make checklists so that when the day finally comes, you’ll be greeted by a seamless and swift departure. 

Snacks and Water

Flights are long, and they never seem to be all that generous with the onboard refreshments. Try to eat healthy, balanced and protein-rich meals in the run-up to your journey, so  that you’re able to keep your energy stores up for when you’re getting from A to B. 

Water will keep you hydrated and give you energy, and collapsable water bottles always make for the perfect travel companions.

Don’t Forget your Sleep mask

There’s no shortage of light when you’re soaring high above the clouds, and as discussed throughout some of our previous blogs , exposure to bright white sunlight isn’t ideal when it comes to getting a restful amount of sleep in transit.

Take a blackout sleep mask with you on your carry-ons, and we guarantee no slither of sunlight will be disturbing your humble effort to slumber. 

The Other Side

You’ve done it, you’ve made it! At this point, you should be safe and sound within the warmth and snugness of your hotel room, where the heavy bags can finally be set down as you start to unwind. 

But there’s something almost odd about sleeping in a new location, a new bed with new sheets.

There’s a lack of familiarity to your surroundings, and this is bound to pose some very tricky questions for your sleep. This is essentially down to the brain’s natural leaning towards playing games of association.

There’s no place like home, and nothing beats the comfort and feel of your own bed. A perfect oasis of sleep now separated by an entire journey. Even the curtains or the colour on the wall can be enough to sway your sleep sideways.

Digging down into this, it is generally true that the nicer the hotel, hostel or B&B gets, the more at home you’ll feel, but it’d be impossible and almost ridiculous to suggest resetting the character, furniture and layout of the bedroom entirely, so how can good sleep habits be protected when you go on tour?

Despite everything that’s out there to hinder your rest, there are a whole range of different techniques, tips and technologies available to you that are both effective and travel-friendly.

Tips for Sleeping Well During your Stay

Here’s how we’d take our good sleeping habits on vacation:

Remember your Pillow

If you can’t take your duvet or bed frame with you, try to at least find a space for your pillow on your travels.

Pillows form the most supportive feature of your sleep, and the right pillow serves the right purpose for everyone. And if there’s no space for a pillow, then you won’t want to forget your satin pillowcase ; being especially handy to have to hand whilst sleeping in humid climates.

Find out more§ about the skin and hair-loving benefits of smooth, wonderful satin here .

Earplugs are Sleep-Savers

There’s nothing worse than discovering that the good deal you scored with the hotels will leave you sleeping next to carnival row. Peace and quiet is often the price you pay for staying in tourist-convenient locations, but this shouldn’t be something that’s allowed to get in the way of your sleep cycle.

Memory foam earplugs are an absolute must for catching a nap whilst travelling, and are excellent for travelling on crowded planes, trains and buses too!

Keep to the Clock

There’s no mistaking that holidays are meant for having fun, but it’s unlikely that you’ll have the energy to enjoy the fun if you’re running on a bad night’s sleep. Working with the time differences but without compromising the experience of escaping the everyday, try to adhere to your usual bedtimes.

Although it’s more difficult to stick to going to sleep at the same time every night when you’re on holiday, your body, mood and lust for life will certainly feel the benefits if you’re able to wake up around the same time every morning,

Temperature Check

Experiencing a temperature jump is one of the great benefits of going on holiday, especially if you’re used to weather that’s typically wet, wild and windy.

Although you may spend time bathing in the glorious sunshine at the beach, the sticky sensation of the heat and humidity will be less than desirable when you’re trying to sleep.

Going by the book, the perfect temperature to sleep in is anywhere between 15.6℃ and 19.4℃.

And whilst turning on the air conditioning or ceiling fan might offer a workable solution in the heat of the moment, satin material has also proved to be highly effective in mitigating heat, whilst also being extremely kind to the skin, which is why it’s become such a popular base for bedsheets and sleep masks in hot climates.

Don’t Forget to Exercise

Your exercise routine will probably be put on the back burner whilst you’re busy enjoying yourself on holiday, and rightfully so too. Taking time to explore new destinations on foot actually wracks up a surprising number of footsteps, and so it’s probable that you’ll be much more active than you might first assume.

However, it’s also important t remember how beneficial exercise is for managing and engaging a healthy, regulated sleep cycle. And the good news is that even short, momentary bursts of exercise will work their magic, whilst you can get added assistance from travel-friendly pieces of equipment like resistance bands, core sliders, skipping ropes (highly recommended) and pilates bars.

To discover more about the benefits that exercise has in store for your sleep, please feel free to head on over to our extensive and invariably fun Active collection here . 

You should never need to compromise your good sleeping patterns, especially so when you’re out- of-office. We hope that this blog has been able to shed some insight on the real-world techniques you can use day-to-day that will help you to take your sleep across borders and overseas. 

For more sleep tips that explore the endlessly dynamic world of your favourite sleep topics, please head on over to our beloved blog here .

For our sleep collection, including our award-winning 3D Contoured Blackout Sleep Mask, signature Lavender Pillow Spray and all of our other holiday-ready sleep helpers, click here .

For all press, media, distribution and retail enquiries contact: hello@sleepsmug.com