Get A Good Night's Sleep When You Travel
When you travel for business, you spend a lot of energy getting to your destination. Then you put in full days of work and focus on the business at hand. So how do you unwind at night and get the all-important rest you need?
This article by Kentin Waits for the OPEN Forum lists six ways for business travelers to get a good night's sleep. One great tip: Bring a large binder clip to close up those hotel curtains which never seem to meet in the middle. Here are some other highlights:
- Choose a flight itinerary with reasonable departure and arrival times
- Avoid hotel rooms near the elevator, vending and ice machines, lobby and breakfast area
- Pack some disposable foam earplugs and a sleep mask (in addition to the binder clip)
- Run just the fan from the AC or heater unit to create a little white noise in your room
- Step away from email, your laptop and other devices a full hour before you turn in for the night
If you are flying a long distance, you may have to deal with jet lag. This article from WebMD offers some suggestions for coping with time differences:
- Several days before traveling, try to gradually adjust your sleeping habits to the destination time zone.
- Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
- Limit your sleep to no more than two hours immediately after arrival.
- Remember that daylight can help reset your internal "clock." Take a one-hour walk as soon as you get up in the morning.
- Check your room's thermostat. Your sleep can be disrupted if the room is warmer than 75° F or colder than 54° F.
And don't forget the other travel-related articles we have published on this blog:
