How to properly sleep on the go
Make the most of summer holidays
With these 5 sleep tips
We love summer for its long days and sun-filled vacays. But we don’t love how it can disrupt sleep patterns. Because if you let your sleep suffer, low energy will follow. Not to mention, dull skin, tired muscles and a short fuse. Not the summer travel vibe you need! Here are some ways to sleep on the go, this summer.
1. Find your routine
Maintaining a sleep routine helps your body adjust to new environments and time zones, reduces the impact of jet lag, and ensures you have enough energy each day for exploring. Proper rest also supports your immune system, keeping you healthy against the physical strains of travel. Try to go to bed at a similar time each night, set an alarm for the same time each morning (even if it’s late!), limit your exposure to screens and bright lights before bed, and step out into the morning sun as soon as you can when you wake up.
2. Take your tricks with you
To give yourself a better chance of getting good rest and limiting any disturbances in hotels, planes and sleeper trains, bring your sleep essentials with you. Pack your silk sleep mask (obviously), earplugs if you use them, and your favourite pyjamas. The ability to block light and sound with a sleep mask and earplugs can be even more important if you’re staying in shared rooms, camping at a festival, or going where the sun barely sets (hej, Scandinavia).
3. Embrace the siesta!
There is a good reason why the siesta has long been an everyday staple for Spanish and other Mediterranean cultures. It provides a time to catch up on missed sleep from the night before, and gives you a boost of energy to finish the day strong. While on vacation, afternoon naps or siestas can be especially helpful in letting you recover from unusually active days and disrupted schedules. Just 20–30 minutes of shuteye has been proven to improve alertness.
4. Beat the jetlag
To make sure you don’t get stuck in a sleepless cycle, try adapting to the time zone of your travel destination as soon as possible – preferably before you even take off! Eat your meals as you would if you were already there, and sleep according to your new time zone as well. When in transit, remember to stay hydrated (drink more water than usual). If you arrive during the day, get plenty of daylight exposure, take a short nap if you need it, but try to save your big sleep for nighttime. These tricks help to realign your body clock and get you into a new sleep routine more seamlessly.
5. Don’t forget the skincare
Sleep allows your skin to repair and regenerate, enhance its summer glow, and avoid the appearance of dark circles or puffiness. And because travel can be stressful on your skin, it’s important to give it as much support as you can – through both good sleep and your best skincare routine. Maintaining a skincare routine will keep your skin's barrier hydrated and resilient… for the kind of summer travel glow you deserve.
