Trudy
Sleep is so important to me that I will prioritize a good night’s sleep over almost anything. It’s better than going out “just because”, and it is better than long drawn out phone calls, because I know how badly I function without enough restorative sleep. It also doesn’t help that living in a big city like New York, there is constant background noise in more populated areas. Noises can vary from the sound of school buses early on the weekday mornings, taxicabs honking, passing conversation, or someone’s truly heinous booming sound system in the middle of the night.
Photo by Chastity Cortijo on Unsplash
Because I am an expert in all things (surely). I can give you my tried and true tips for a great night’s sleep even in hectic NYC
- Get into a calming routine before bedtime. Do the same positive things every night so your body will recognize that it is time for sleep even if you are traveling and staying at a hotel. This could include a hot cup of tea, a series of calming stretches, meditation, writing in your journal, planning your outfit for the next day or a super relaxing hot shower.
- Getting your bedroom prepared for sleep! Turn off or dim bright lights, possibly invest in a weighted blanket if you suffer from anxiety, fill your room with scents of aromatherapy that calm your senses and no eating right before bed!!
- Wear earplugs! If you are a light sleeper, this is only logical. The outside sounds won’t allow you to reach the deepest, most healing part of sleep, REM sleep if you aren’t at ease.
- Clear your bedroom of all electronics. If you don’t have a television in your bedroom you have no choice to sleep. Your cell phone should be placed outside your bedroom on “Do Not Disturb”. Emails and Instagram can wait until morning. The bedroom is for basically two things sex and sleeping. This is also handy when it comes to waking up. If your phone is your alarm, and it isn’t right next to you, you can’t hit snooze if it’s in another room, duh.
- Have a decent mattress to sleep on. This is the most important tip. The biggest investment in your bedroom is probably your bed, frame and mattress combined. So it should be the best that you can afford because it affects so much from your posture to your peace of mind. Shop for a mattress that supports your spine and to relieve you of the pressure of sitting and standing all day. Your pillows should support your neck in a straight line with the mattress. And the mattress shouldn’t dip or bow when you are fully reclined. The base should be supportive as well. Luckily, many retailers allow you to “test drive” before committing, for example, this adjustable bed base from Ghost Bed. It even has head and foot massage! Get outta here!! What’s more relaxing than that??!!!
Do you have any good sleep tips to share? What are some of your favorites tips that I may have missed? Are they any different from when you are traveling? Tell me all about it in the comments below
Until our next rendezvous …
XOXO
Trudy
I don’t have trouble sleeping; just getting enough of it is my problem. If I did have trouble sleeping, I’d try to exercise every day in some way.
You’re so lucky! I’ve been an insomniac all my adult life. It drives me crazy to no end.
That’s too bad, Trudy. I wish sleeping easily was something I could share with you.
My Lone Ranger Black/Out mask helps me a lot.
I’m not comfortable with my eyes covered but I understand how the sense deprivation could work.
I have to have some white noise going on so I can sleep. total quiet is something that drives me up a wall.
I agree! I can’t take total quiet. I’ve been in city too long.
I was in the Air Force too long. I can sleep with the jets flying overhead.
Now, I can’t sleep in that kind of noise but I feel weird just listening to crickets. It’s like a horror movie waiting to happen.
Love these tips, especially keeping your same routine every night. I love visiting NYC, but there is an art to tuning out the noise.
It truly depends on where you visit. Not all neighborhoods are built the same as far as noise levels, but if you come from a city with a small population, you’ll hear the creak of every door.
Oh, how I love a good night sleep! The only tip I can think of is to clear your room of clutter. It just seems to free up my mind. Great tips!
Agreed, if my bedroom is a mess that means that I’m going through something.
The constant honking from the taxi horns are the things that get me whenever I go to NYC – I definitely made use of the earplugs!
Yes, I found out that isn’t a thing in most European countries but somehow a thing everywhere else. I wonder why? Off topic, sorry. But yes, earplugs are a good thing. I don’t think those noise machines work in my opinion.
For the love of a good mattress. I haven’t found one yet and they are so flipping expensive. It’s hard to tell if a mattress is going to be good with just a few minutes of laying on it at a store.
I struggle to sleep when I go to hotels but I block out as much light as i can and I invested in a good eye mask to sleep in too which does help! At home I’m usually ok. We bought a new mattress last year and that has made such a difference.
That’s right, everything starts with a good mattress!
Haha I am OBSESSED with decent sleep! You covered many of my favorite tips here (earplugs, no TV in room, good mattress) – I also always use an eyemask, and do the 5-minute Relax cycle on my Fitbit as soon as I crawl into bed. Oh, and no caffeine after 1pm or so!
Oh, you’re strict with caffeine! I hadn’t thought about it much because I’m basically numb to coffee.
Since i’m totally sleep deprived this morning, this spoke to me!