We at NH Hotels know about sleep. In fact, it’s one of our favourite topics. Because of that, we understand that many of our guests struggle to sleep well when they’re away from home. Here are 10 Top Tips for getting a good night’s sleep wherever you are:
1. Don’t consume any caffeine after midday
And that doesn’t just mean coffee! Caffeine is also in chocolate, tea and some kinds of soda. How much you can consume depends on your tolerance of it, but just try going cold turkey after midday for a few days and see how much better you sleep.
2. Have a hot bath before bed
The lowering of your body temperature from an elevated place to normal makes you sleepy, so a hot bath before bed should do the trick. It’s also a great way to relax, which is vital to a good night’s sleep.
3. Drink a warm drink before bed
Again, the warming up and cooling down process is a useful in helping you sleep. However, a warm glass of milk, for example, contains an amino acid called tryptophan, which is sleep-inducing. If you’re off dairy, then camomile is a great alternative, known in the trade as a “relaxing nirvine”
4. Don’t drink alcohol or smoke just before bedtime
Although alcohol might knock you out, it will actually harm the quality of your sleep and makes it much more likely that you’ll wake up in the middle of the night. Nicotine is a stimulant and should be avoided at all costs before you try and sleep, even though it makes you feel like it’s relaxing you.
5. Play some music
Background noise actually helps a lot of people fall asleep, but make sure it’s not too stimulating. Something slow, soft and relaxing should do the trick.
6. Do some deep breathing
A relaxed body is important for a good night’s sleep and one of the reasons people are often tense is bad breathing. As you settle down to sleep, consciously relax each part of your body and then breath slowly and deeply for a few minutes.
7. Sleep on your back
Sleeping on your back is much better than sleeping on your sides (and definitely better than sleeping on your front) because it allows all your internal organs to settle properly. This means you’re less likely to become uncomfortable and wake up in the night.
8. Make sure your room is the right temperature
As above, you actually want to be cooler than you’d expect in order to get to sleep. At the same time, don’t leave the window open if it’s really cold outside because your body will trigger an alarm and wake you up.
9. Don’t watch TV or read before bed
TV or reading, however gently you partake, will overstimulate your brain and stop you sleeping.
10. If you can’t sleep, get up.
If you’ve been trying to sleep for more than half an hour, get up and do something quiet until you’re tired again. Lying there worrying about not sleeping is the worst thing you can do.
Thanks to prakhar for the photo.
