Getting sleep while traveling can be a nightmare. There is a combination of psychological, neurological, and environmental factors that can disrupt our natural sleep patterns. Below, we talk to experts to figure out exactly why we struggle to sleep while traveling—and how to mitigate it.
A version of this article first appeared in Condé Nast Traveller UK.
The struggle to sleep in different locations is largely due to a combination of psychological, neurological, and environmental factors that can disrupt our natural sleep patterns. Our body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm, regulates our sleep-wake cycles. It is highly sensitive to changes in time zone, light exposure, and routine, and is particularly influenced by external clues like daylight and nighttime darkness. When traveling, especially across time zones, our circadian rhythm can become disrupted, resulting in the dreaded jet lag. This disruption makes it tough for the body to adjust to our new sleep schedule, which is why we often suffer from poor sleep quality in hotel beds.
But even if you travel within the same time zone, the lighting in a hotel room (which is often very dim or overly bright), or the unfamiliar sounds and feeling of the bed can affect the production of our sleep hormone melatonin. Without the right cues, our body can struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep. So can you do anything about it?
When in an unfamiliar environment, our brains keep one hemisphere more active during sleep to remain vigilant and on guard.
One of the main reasons for poor sleep in an unfamiliar environment is a phenomenon called the “first night effect.” Research shows that our brains are wired to stay more alert in new surroundings, particularly during the first night in a new location. This is actually a pretty smart evolutionary trait, developed to help protect us from potential threats. But the problem: even though our hotel rooms are safe, our brains treat it as an unfamiliar environment, keeping one hemisphere more active during sleep to remain vigilant and on guard. This subconscious alertness can lead to lighter and more restless sleep, known as unihemispheric slow-wave sleep.
Fascinating, right? But it doesn’t feel quite so joyful when you wake up feeling groggy and tired, as Dr. Madeleine Jago, principal clinical psychologist and co-founder of Seven Lion Yard explains: “Without sufficient slow-wave sleep, the body and brain miss out on some of the critical functions that make us feel well-rested, such as cellular repair and the processing of memories. Since one side of the brain is more sensitive to external stimuli, this effect also leads to more wakings and trouble falling back asleep throughout the night.”
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