Expert's easy tip to solve common hotel room 'discomfort'
Updated . First published
It's a common problem.
You get into a lovely hotel bed on your holiday and pull the covers over yourself with relief, exhausted from travelling
But despite rearranging the pillows and pulling down your eye mask, you just can't sleep.
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A lovely bed doesn't always mean a great sleep. Getty
An expert says there are plenty of reasons why.
"When we travel, we're stepping into an unfamiliar environment, and that can create a level of discomfort – even if we're excited to be there," psychologist Dr Tim Sharp, known as 'Dr Happy' tells nine.com.au.
However, there are things you can do to help.
You need to follow a familiar routine, just like you do at home, to help you drift off. "Small rituals help signal to the brain that it's safe to relax," Dr Sharp says.
"Whether it's a shower, a podcast or putting the TV on in the background, familiar habits create comfort in unfamiliar places."
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Despite rearranging the pillows and pulling down your eye mask, you just can't sleep. Getty Images/iStockphoto
And yes, obviously scrolling on your phone does not help.
"Dim lighting, quiet spaces and limiting late-night scrolling can all help calm racing thoughts," he says.
And while you might faff around trying to create the perfect room for sleep, sometimes you just need to do the best you can.
"Relaxation doesn't have to mean the perfect night's sleep," he says.
"Often it's the simple things – black out blinds, your choice of pillows or knowing breakfast is sorted in the morning - that help people properly switch off and feel more at ease."
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Aussies have certain rituals when they check in to hotels. Supplied
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Aussies have become 'high-maintenance sleepers' when travelling, with Gen Z and millennials leading the charge, experts say.
Being too hot or too cold seems to be the biggest thing travellers want to sort out.
Research commissioned by Holiday Inn Express by IHG found 92 per cent of Aussies admit to having a "settling in" ritual for a hotel room, with adjusting the temperature taking the top spot.
More than a quarter claim "their side" of the bed like at home, even when travelling on their own, it said.
Hotel rooms are unfamiliar territory. Getty
Other experts have also said rooms you're not used to can keep you awake.
However, if you're desperate to sleep but you can't check into your hotel room yet, there is a solution.
Some savvy travellers on Reddit shared their own tips for how to make the most of the 'dead time' between arrival and when your room is ready.
One user says they always book a room at a hotel that has a spa, and schedules a massage for the morning they arrive.
Or check one of the websites which offers day-use rooms.
