We all sometime or the other stay away from home in a new place. May be in a hotel while on a holiday or a business trip or at a friend’s place etc. Often we come across people staying in a new place experience trouble while sleeping. This is not for one or two people, many people have this discomforting experience of troubled sleeping in a new place for first one or two nights.
A team of researchers have found a reason underlying this phenomenon. According to them the one half of brain (left side) remain awake than the other right half when a person is trying to sleep in different place than his usual.
In a report, researchers have confirmed that many people had hard time getting sound sleep in an unfamiliar bed for the first one or two nights outside their home. This they call it as first night effect. The left hemisphere of the brain remains alert while the right hemisphere of the brain rests. They point out this evolutionary phenomenon even in birds and some animals that always sleep in this way.
How To Get To Sleep In A New Place?
If sleeping in a new place is a major travail for you when you are away from home, here are some important tips. These tips will help you to have sound sleep in an unfamiliar place and make you feel refreshed when you wake up in the morning.
- Take your pillow whenever you are traveling. Often this will make you feel comfortable when you are sleeping in a different place and environment.
- If you are staying in a hotel for few nights, select the same room for multiple nights. You will feel more relaxed.
- Carry a sleeping mask wherever you go. If noise is a problem carry ear plugs or headphones to hear soft sound music. If you are traveling often, this will be helpful.
- Watch your favorite TV show before you curl up in your bed.
- Many people like scents and fragrances. Lavender or wood scent is best that makes you feel sleepy over a period of time.
- Keep your room dark as light may cause disturbance in your sleep.
- As soon as you enter into your sleeping room, try to adjust the room temperature. It may take some time before you sleep. Keeping proper temperature of the room will certainly help you to sleep better and faster, especially for first few nights when you are still to get adjusted.
- Carry few books and magazines of your choice. Read them before you recline on your bed. Read few chapters from the book as it will help you to reduce your stress and help in winding up down without any trouble.
- Do some stretches and light exercises if you are regularly practicing workout before going to bed.
- Drink warm milk before you go to bed as it milk contain melatonin, a substance which help to induce sleep.