Travel Tips for Light Sleepers

It's only the third day of your trip and you're exhausted. While all your friends slept soundly on the overnight train, you tossed and turned for a few hours and then gave up on sleep and finished a novel instead. A slight noise, a gush of air, or even motion wakes you up easily, and you find it difficult to get back to sleep. Follow these tips to try and catch a wink during your next trip.

1) Bring Ear Plugs or Headphones

Good earplugs are essential. Bring at least two pairs as earplugs are easily lost. You can buy the ones that are connected through a string to prevent losing them as easily. If you can afford to splurge, buy noise canceling headphones and let music put you to sleep.

2) Wear an Eye Mask

Don't expect lights to be off on night buses or even in hotel hallways. If you're used to sleeping in pitch dark, fluorescent lights can easily steal your sleep away. Bring a dark eye mask that can block out any light and give you the illusion that you're actually in the dark.

3) Stay in Suburbs

When visiting cities, book a hotel or hostel in a suburb instead of a central area. Central areas may be within walking distance of the main tourist attractions, but if you can't sleep at night due to din you won't enjoy your stay. Accommodation in suburbs is generally less expensive and will give you a taste of the culture that you won't get in tourist areas.

4) Limit Sleeping Pills

It may be tempting to take sleeping pills every night in order to knock you out after a long day of traveling. Medical professionals warn against relying on sleeping pills because you can become dependent on them for sleep. Try as hard as you can to sleep without medication, and limit yourself to taking a pill to induce sleep once a week or less.

5) Get Rest at Odd Hours

Find out when the quietest times are in your hotel or guesthouse. If at night there's too many people coming and going from the airport for you to get any rest, try taking an afternoon nap when most guests are out exploring. Don't feel pressured to keep up with others who are getting proper rest. If you need to skip an activity or attraction so you can sleep before setting off on the next leg of your trip, do it. Travel adrenaline can only keep you going for so long before your body gives up for lack of sleep.

Enjoy your trip and try not to let the frustration of lost sleep ruin your time. Even if you can't fall into deep sleep, every bit of rest does count.