A third of U.S. adults fail to meet the seven‑hour nightly sleep recommendation. Up to 70 million Americans suffer chronic sleep disorders, with 20 % reporting daytime drowsiness.
Travel worsens sleep problems beyond jet lag, and the following strategies can help whether you’re in a hotel, on a plane, or aboard a cruise ship.
By George Hobica
Tribune News Service
Cool, Dark, Quiet
Three factors dominate hotel room quality: a dead‑quiet environment, floor‑to‑ceiling blackout drapes, and effective air‑conditioning. Even a tiny light gap between drapes can ruin darkness.
MGM Resorts VP of Interior Design Nicole Fournier says the strict standards are intentional, ensuring guests can rest in a 24/7 city. She emphasizes that these measures are non‑negotiable.
Bring Your Own Pillow
Sleep experts recommend using your own pillow while traveling because it improves rest and appearance. Travel‑size versions matching your home pillow’s firmness are available from Royal Pillow for as little as $14.95.
Other Sources of Light
LED indicators on clocks, thermostats, TVs, smoke detectors and other devices emit light that disrupts sleep. Unplug these items or cover the LEDs with tape—just remove the tape at checkout.
Choose the Right Room and Floor
Request a room at the corridor’s end and on an upper floor to avoid elevator traffic and noisy neighbors. Older hotels often have thicker walls, and properties like the Hotel Marcel in New Haven and Westgate New York Grand Central have upgraded to triple‑paned windows for quiet and cool rooms.
Beware Conventions and Groups
Ask the hotel whether a convention or large group will occupy the property during your stay and which floors they use. Groups often generate noise, such as teenage parties that linger all night outside your door.
Courtyard and Windowless Rooms Yes, Connecting Rooms No
Interior‑courtyard rooms, like those at Boston’s Fairmont Copley Plaza or New York’s Sherry‑Nethlander, reduce street noise and are usually cheaper. Windowless rooms, such as the Standard Hotel’s standard king interiors, provide maximum darkness and quiet at bargain rates. Avoid connecting rooms unless you want to hear your neighbor’s activities.
Sleeping Better When Flying
Long‑haul flights expose passengers to low cabin pressure, dry air, and limited oxygen, which impair sleep quality. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350 pressurize cabins to 6,000 feet, about 2,000 feet lower than older aircraft, improving comfort.
Choose a Window Seat Over the Wing
A window seat lets you control shade, rest your head against the wall, and offers greater stability during turbulence. It also reduces exposure to cabin noise.
Sleeping on a Cruise Ship
Select a mid‑ship, lower‑deck cabin to minimize motion and stay away from noisy venues. Most cruise lines keep cabins dark, and interior rooms are often windowless and inexpensive.
If a hotel’s air‑conditioning, noisy neighbors, or other controllable issues ruin your night, demand a refund—preferably in pajamas, as I have done on several occasions. This ensures the issue is taken seriously.
