How to Sleep Better Away From Home: A Hotel-Room Sleep Checklist

This page is general information, not medical advice.

Why sleeping away from home is harder

A new room brings new noises, a different bed and pillow, unfamiliar light leaking around the curtains, and a thermostat set by someone else. Travel days also tend to break the routine that normally tells your body it's time to sleep: dinner runs late, there's coffee at odd hours, and you're checking your phone in bed to plan tomorrow.

The good news is that the same habits sleep experts recommend at home carry over well to a hotel room.

How much sleep you're aiming for

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) lists 7 to 8 hours a day for adults 18 and older, reflecting American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommendations. Mayo Clinic says the recommended amount for a healthy adult is "at least seven hours." The National Institute on Aging (NIA) notes that adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night.

Sleep lost on a trip adds up. The NHLBI calls the total "sleep debt": lose 2 hours a night and you'll owe 14 hours after a week.

Set up the room in five minutes

Both the NHLBI and Mayo Clinic say to keep the bedroom quiet, cool and dark. In a hotel, that looks like this:

• Dark: close the blackout curtains fully, and cover or turn away glowing clocks and device lights. The NHLBI says a dim night light is fine if you need one.
• Cool: set the thermostat when you arrive, not at bedtime. The NIA suggests keeping the room temperature "not too hot or cold."
• Quiet: Mayo Clinic suggests earplugs, a fan or other devices. A white-noise app, or the room's fan setting, can mask hallway noise.

Keep your schedule, even on the road

The NIA advises going to sleep and getting up at the same time each day, "even on weekends or when traveling." The NHLBI suggests keeping weeknight and weekend schedules within about an hour of each other, because big swings can disrupt your body clock.

A short, repeatable bedtime routine helps too. The NIA suggests reading, soothing music or a warm bath, and that routine travels with you.

The hour before bed

The NHLBI suggests using the hour before bed for quiet time and avoiding intense exercise and bright artificial light, such as a TV or computer screen, because the light "may signal the brain that it's time to be awake."

If your mind is racing about tomorrow, Mayo Clinic suggests jotting down what's on your mind and setting it aside for the next day.

Caffeine, alcohol and late meals

Travel days often run on coffee. The NHLBI says the effects of caffeine can last up to 8 hours, so a cup of coffee in the late afternoon can make it hard to fall asleep at night. For most adults, the FDA cites 400 milligrams of caffeine a day, about two to three 12-ounce cups of coffee, as an amount "not generally associated with negative effects."

Alcohol is a common travel trap. Mayo Clinic notes that even though alcohol might make you feel sleepy at first, it can disrupt sleep later in the night. The NHLBI suggests avoiding alcoholic drinks before bed.

Late, heavy dinners are common on trips too. The NHLBI suggests avoiding heavy or large meals within a few hours of bedtime, though a light snack is okay. Mayo Clinic adds: don't go to bed hungry or stuffed. If the only option is a late room-service order, keep it small. Our guide to eating well while traveling has ideas for simple light meals from a mini-fridge.

If you can't fall asleep

Mayo Clinic's advice: if you don't fall asleep within about 20 minutes, leave the bed and do something relaxing, such as reading or listening to soothing music, then go back when you're tired. Keep your wake-up time the same the next morning.

Naps on travel days

A short nap can get you through a long travel day, but keep it short and early. The NHLBI suggests that adults nap for no more than 20 minutes, and the CDC's jet lag guidance suggests naps of no more than 15 to 20 minutes so you can still sleep at night. The NIA suggests avoiding naps in the late afternoon or evening.

Time zones and jet lag

The CDC describes jet lag as a mismatch between your normal daily rhythms and a new time zone. It usually shows up when you cross more than three time zones. Mayo Clinic notes that it usually takes about a day to recover for each time zone crossed, and that flying east is often harder.

Steps from the CDC and Mayo Clinic:

• Before the trip: shift your bedtime an hour or two earlier for a few days if you're heading east, or later if you're heading west. The CDC suggests arriving at least 2 days before any important event if you can.
• On arrival: follow the local sleep and wake times. Mayo Clinic suggests setting your watch or phone to the new time before you leave and trying not to sleep until local nighttime.
• Use light on purpose: the CDC suggests staying in well-lit areas during the day. Mayo Clinic suggests morning light after traveling east, and evening light after traveling west.
• Use caffeine and exercise strategically: the CDC says these may help you stay alert during the day, but avoid them in the evening.

If you take prescription medicines on a schedule, ask your clinician how to time them across time zones. The CDC also suggests talking to your doctor about any medicine or sleep aid for jet lag.

Use cases: practical scenarios

A two-night work trip, same time zone. Set the thermostat and close the curtains when you check in. Have your last coffee by early afternoon and pick one glass of water over a nightcap. Keep your usual alarm.

A cross-country flight east. Start going to bed an hour earlier a few nights before you leave. Get outside in the morning light after you land. If you must nap, keep it to 15 to 20 minutes.

A noisy city hotel. Ask for a room away from the elevator, use earplugs or a fan for steady background noise, and leave your phone across the room.

Staying with family or sharing a room. Bring a sleep mask and earplugs. Agree on a lights-out time, and do your wind-down routine somewhere quiet beforehand.

When to talk to a clinician

Nearly everyone has an occasional bad night. Mayo Clinic says that if you often have trouble sleeping, you should contact your health care provider. And if you travel often and jet lag keeps hitting hard, Mayo Clinic says you may benefit from seeing a sleep specialist.

Where Olive fits

If you want help sticking to a wind-down routine on the road, Olive is a health companion app that checks in with you every day and helps you notice patterns in sleep, food and energy, then build small habits that hold. It's a habits tool, not a clinician, and it doesn't give medical advice.

Keep your sleep routine steady on the road

Olive checks in with you each day and helps you build small habits you can keep, at home or away.

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Medical disclaimer

Medical disclaimer: This page is general information, not medical advice. Talk to a clinician if you often have trouble sleeping, before using any sleep aid, or about timing prescription medicines across time zones.