How to Sleep Better in Hotels: Expert Tips for Restful Travel

Whether you're traveling for business or leisure, getting a good night's sleep in a hotel can feel like a challenge. Uncomfortable mattresses, noisy air conditioning, slamming doors, and loud neighbors can all make quality rest difficult to achieve.

Dr. Rebecca Robbins, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and associate scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, understands the importance of sleep. Her research focuses on promoting behavioral changes to enhance sleep and circadian health, making her particularly interested in how hotels impact rest.

In a 2020 study published in Tourism and Hospitality Research, Robbins and her team discovered that only one in three travelers were satisfied with their sleep while away from home. However, they also found that sleep quality plays a crucial role in overall guest satisfaction.

With the rise of sleep tourism and a growing awareness among hotels, Robbins has taken on the role of Hilton’s sleep expert, advising on sleep-friendly room designs and hosting sleep retreats. She has also contributed to Royal Sonesta's Benjamin Hotel’s Rest and Renew program. Below, she shares her top science-backed strategies to sleep better while traveling.

1. Bring Familiar Comforts

“Our ability to relax is significantly impacted by being in an unfamiliar environment,” Robbins explains. At home, familiar sounds and scents help us unwind, but in a hotel, our brains remain alert, processing new surroundings.

Studies have shown that familiar scents can improve well-being by breaking negative thought patterns. Similarly, soothing sounds—like rainfall or a babbling brook—can calm the nervous system. White noise machines are also effective in drowning out disruptive noises.

To create a home-like atmosphere in your hotel room, bring along familiar scents such as a favorite perfume, lotion, or essential oil. Since candles aren’t allowed in most hotels, try adding a comforting fragrance to a warm shower. Some hotels, like those participating in the Royal Sonesta’s Rest and Renew program, offer white noise machines, but if your hotel doesn’t, consider packing a portable one.

2. Ease Your Mind Before Bed

Travel isn’t always stress-free. Whether it's work obligations or personal matters, the worries that keep you up at night often can’t be resolved immediately.

"One of the biggest obstacles to falling asleep is an overactive mind," Robbins notes. While external noises can be disruptive, racing thoughts and travel anxiety can be just as detrimental.

Journaling can be a powerful tool to calm a busy mind. Writing down your worries before bed allows you to mentally set them aside, making it easier to focus on sleep.

3. Stick to Your Routine

According to Robbins, maintaining a bedtime routine is key to quality sleep. Whether it’s a skincare ritual, meditation, a hot shower, or simply wearing earplugs, repeating these habits while traveling can help signal to your body that it’s time to rest.

“Being consistent with these routines is crucial,” says Robbins. “Your brain learns to associate them with sleep.”

Even screen time isn’t necessarily harmful—if watching TV is part of your relaxation routine, don’t feel guilty about continuing it while traveling. However, Robbins advises turning off screens once you start feeling drowsy, as blue light exposure can negatively affect sleep quality.

4. Get Out of Bed if You Can’t Sleep

Struggling to fall asleep in a different time zone? Tossing and turning won’t help. Instead, Robbins recommends getting out of bed and engaging in a calming activity, such as deep breathing exercises or even folding laundry.

If you associate your bed with frustration and sleeplessness, it can worsen insomnia. Taking a short break before returning to bed when you feel sleepy can help reinforce the connection between your bed and restful sleep.

5. Choose a Sleep-Friendly Hotel

While there are plenty of ways to improve sleep while traveling, selecting the right hotel can make all the difference. More hotels are prioritizing sleep-friendly amenities, such as blackout curtains, pillow menus, aromatherapy sprays, eye masks, bath bombs, and evening tea services.

By choosing accommodations that focus on rest, you set yourself up for a more refreshing and restorative trip.

6. Drink RELAZZ, sleep enhancement beverage, an hour before your preferred bed time.

Formulated with natural ingredients to promote relaxation and restful sleep, it helps counteract the effects of travel stress, unfamiliar environments, and jet lag. Taking RELAZZ before bed can ease your mind, support your body’s natural sleep cycle, and ensure you wake up feeling refreshed—ready to take on your journey. Whether you're adjusting to a new time zone or simply need a little extra help unwinding, RELAZZ is a reliable travel companion for you to sleep better on the road.