How to get a good night’s sleep when travelling

Από Dr Matthew Walker

Οκτώβριος 1, 2022

When travelling, sleeping can be hard. But it doesn’t need to be with these nine tips to help you drift off peacefully

Jet lag is always an unwelcome travel companion. But after 20 years’ research, neuroscientist Dr Matthew Walker thinks he might just have the answer. If it’s 3am or you’re about to embark on your next break and are worried you won’t be able to get to sleep, these nine tips can help

Aerial view of a beach with the shadow of a plane.

Take a nap during the first few hours

When travelling it is best to sleep in the first half of a long-haul flight, not the second half. Then stay awake for the rest of the day and evening in the new time zone. This ensures you build up plenty of healthy ‘sleep pressure’ for a good first night’s sleep.

Don’t drink and dream on these

It is also best to avoid alcohol and caffeine on flights. Both disrupt your body clock and make it harder to reset your internal rhythms when you arrive in the new location.

Here comes the sun

Once you are at your destination, get at least 30-45 minutes of daylight in the morning once in the new time zone, and do not wear sunglasses. The natural daylight helps suppress morning melatonin, making you feel more alert.

Guests wearing sunglasses while doing activities in the sun.

Forget about throwing shade…

However, if you have travelled east, wear shades to block afternoon daylight when outside. You want to start encouraging the rise of melatonin later in the afternoon by mimicking dusk.

Family playing in the water at the beach.

Unless you have travelled west

Yet, if you have headed west, don’t wear sunglasses outside, as getting late afternoon daylight will delay the rise of melatonin helping you to stay awake for longer.

Chef cooking in restaurant at Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen.

Eat when the time is right

It is best to eat meals at the time that is standard in the new time zone, rather than eating when you feel like it. Food acts as a strong signal for resetting your body clock and can lead to a lack of sleep.

Lounge chairs by the pool in The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Milan.

Head to the spa and unwind

Mandarin Oriental has a great selection of relaxing spa packages to enable you to unwind into a dreamlike state before bedtime. And if you’re staying at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London, be sure to discover the team's Digital Wellness programme to help you disconnect from and drift off.

Penthouse bedroom at Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como.

Turn down the lights

Evening darkness is also critical when it comes to getting a good night’s rest. Dim the lights in your room in the last hour before bed and avoid your digital devices during this time. Both things will help encourage the release of natural melatonin and thus sleepiness.

Penthouse suite terrace at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London.

The perfect breeze

Finally, keep the temperature in your bedroom cool at night – a little above 17°C is optimal for most people. Your body temperature needs to drop at night to initiate and maintain good sleep. Having a cool room helps with this, making sleep easier to come by.

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Dr Matthew Walker

Matthew is the author of Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams.