UserNotFound

Account Executive

Notorious Answer

Valued Contributor

Need recs- how TF to sleep in a hotel

So, I'm not much of a road warrior. I try to be home every night that it's possible but end up away from home 1-2nights a month... on those nights I cannot sleep. I have a lot of trouble with sleep anyway (thanks raging anxiety) but when I'm on the road even my meds don't help. Last time I was genuinely fearful of an OD bc I forgot I had a couple beers at dinner and then took my meds- the exact cocktail that killed Heath Ledger according to my doc.

Anyway, my usual is 2x pills of my "insomnia" med (it's actually an anxiety med but prescribed for insomnia) and 5 melatonin. I'm still unable to sleep but do force myself lay in bed all night with a sleepy time podcast on. I have 4 that I cycle through; they always work at home but never on the road.

TELL ME WHAT YOU PROS DO!! I have a week long conference coming up and absolutely cannot go without sleep for that long.

🙏 Mental Wellness

26

34 comments

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CuriousFox

WR Officer

10

🦊

Ambien. No shit.

FoodForSales

Politicker

0

AE

Ambien is addictive and can really screw with you. My mother is basically an Ambien addict. Awful stuff.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

1

🦊

It works for me well, but I hear ya.

SADNES5

Politicker

9

down voters are marketing spies

On the road 100+ nights a year. Pick a brand, and then try and stay within a sub brand. The familiar beds and routine will get comfortable over time.

Create a bedtime ritual as similar to home as possible. Do the exact same order you do at home. Teeth, shower, read the WR.

sketchysales

Politicker

2

Sales Manager

Ditto SADNES5.

I personally don't struggle, I'm always exhausted but I think not breaking the routine is key. If you got a long boring evening alone, don't hang in your room, head out for a walk, get some food off site. I also think it's important to choose your hotel carefully, I've had hotels in sketchy areas and I don't sleep easy. Go for airport or downtown high end joints and I typically find if you can get a high floor it has quieter people, less families.

I do however feel it's easy for us road warriors to find it easy when you are spending a third of the year in a different bed to your own and are generally exhausted from being on the road week after week.

SADNES5

Politicker

1

down voters are marketing spies

We live the same life. I'm off to Vegas then Miami over the next few weeks...

sketchysales

Politicker

1

Sales Manager

I'd love to bump into you some day and hear your stories 😄

Enjoy your travels, been a busy run for me, 5 weeks back to back of, Chicago, MSP, Denver, Vancouver and then Chicago again next week.

Then I've a couple weeks off to tie the biggest knot of my life 💍

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

7

Bravado's Resident Asshole

I used to have terrible insomnia about 10 years ago. It just wouldn't stop and I got to the point where I was getting super sick all of the time and couldn't focus.

I had to eliminate a lot of things out of my life that was causing FUD and anxiety. I don't know how I did it exactly, but I was able to overcome it and now I can sleep decently.

I would probably consider some sort of therapy to figure out the root causes tbh. I know this doesn't help you for your conference, but at least it's direction.

braintank

Politicker

5

Enterprise Account Executive

Don't turn on TV

Filth

Politicker

4

Live Filthy or Die Clean

You've probably heard a lot of this but...

Cut the screen time, phone & TV at least an hour before trying to sleep.

Take a nice long hot shower before bed then do all your normal dosing. Even better if you can physically exhaust yourself at some point in the day.

Read some boring ass book with minimal light. Not a dictionary but just some biography that you have no real interest in - force a chapter at least per night.

And my favorite that I learned from my dad when I was a kid- when you're all tucked in and blacked out/eye covered up and listening to your white noises try your hardest to think about staying awake. Nothing makes you more tired than just focusing on staying awake as long as you can. I know it's some reverse psychology shit but it works damn well for me.

Best of luck in your snoozing!

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

2

Sales Rep

Never heard of trying to stay up but it makes sense

Filth

Politicker

3

Live Filthy or Die Clean

Yeah its the least common sense and is always crazy effective for me - think if I just stay up a little longer I could get a McGriddle and next thing you know it's 2pm :D

Dallas_Knight

Big Shot

3

Strategic Account Executive

I use Benadryl and black out the room

Killebrew

Valued Contributor

0

VP

I use Benzos and black out in the room

Sunbunny31

Politicker

2

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Ouch. I feel your pain. Just got back from a trip, and the bedroom had some weird intermittent background whine that reminded me of that sound of being in an airplane. Definitely not conducive to sleep!

I tend to sleep most poorly my first night away, but then adjust. Just follow my night time routine as I do at home, know that my alarm is set and I won't oversleep (major anxiety around that for me) and I'm usually ok. Can't wear earplugs because I'm concerned I'll miss the alarm, so I have to get my body used to the unusual night time noises.

butwhy

Politicker

1

Solutions Engineer

I use White Noise apps, or the Bose sleep phones while on the road, because hotels are noisy and I am an incredibly light sleeper. Melatonin gives me insane nightmares, so I use Unisom if I need extra help. Sometimes I use aromatherapy too - spray my pillows at home with a relaxing light scent so that it triggers "this is sleep time" and then spray that on the pillows at the hotel to have the same trigger.

1nbatopshotfan

Politicker

1

Sales

Man, I don’t wish this on anyone. The most important thing you can do is set a sleep routine. You might consider taking a week off of work to decompress and work on actually getting enough sleep. Being overtired leads to more shitty sleep.

jefe

Arsonist

1

🍁

Headspace meditation app and a sleep mask.

JacobyG

Good Citizen

1

Sales Director

Alex Hormozi has an awesome video about sleep (not specific to traveling) and a lot of it really helped me.

The mindset shifts about sleep really helped me clear my anxiety around it, maybe it can help. Linked below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55H71isO_Bo

Rainingbirdies

Politicker

1

Business Development Representative

Get a sleeping headband. Listen to binaural beats. Slow down your breathing; 4 counts in, 7 counts hold, 8 counts out.

FoodForSales

Politicker

1

AE

Exercise and don't eat a heavy evening meal and keep drinks to a minimum.

SoccerandSales

Big Shot

1

Account Executive

Bring your own pillow. For me, having that one constant allows me to fall asleep just as quick as if I were at home

MoonDog349

Valued Contributor

0

Sales Manager

This sounds miserable, I’m really sorry.

PineappleYa

Opinionated

0

AE

Been in these shoes since high school.
1- you potentiate to melatonin only take it on rare occasions or your body stops producing as much naturally and now you need more and hit a ceiling
2- yes never drink w a sleep aid -2 downers = your body going into total rest and quiets mechanism prompting you to breath
3- sleep hygiene: same time rituals for going to bed every day, no screens /no vigorous activity/no drinks/ 2-3 hrs before bed … reading a physical book helps, deep slow breathing, white noise you tolerate, bring your favorite pillow from home, aroma therapy (lavender oil is a good one), list tasks before your bed time so you don’t list in your head -keep list next to bed if u need to write something down then u can and go to back to bed
4- anti anxiety meds aren’t the same as sleeping aids though they can have that affect. I would see a sleep doctor/specialist. Some sleep aids can be pretty nasty for your body & not get you to REM /make you sleep walk (ambien @CuriousFox) -lunesta does not have this issue- maybe ask your dr about it. You need to make sure you are not mixing Rxs that create an issue also.

chill before bed, dont drink, turn off tv & keep phone away and then go to bed at the same time daily.

JustGonnaSendIt

Politicker

0

Burn Towns, Get Money

I struggle to sleep in most hotels also. The sheets seem to be made of some kind of plastic blended fabric and it makes me sweat.

Also, since I am addicted to the sound of a fan to help me sleep, the relative silence of a hotel room eeks me out.

I have an app on my phone that plays a box fan sound (with adjustable speeds). Typically I use that. Sometimes I just turn the hair dryer on cold in the bathroom to provide the background noise.

When I'm amped up or anxious, I find that going to the hotel gym and getting 30 min of cardio in helps a ton. Usually about 2 hours before I plan to go to sleep. Then I read a book (yes, a paper book) instead of getting screen time.

Alcohol can actually interfere with sleep... so I try not to drink a lot on the road (1-2 beers max, a few hours before bed, typically with food).

As others have mentioned, the less you deviate from your typical home bedtime routine, the easier it -should- be.

As someone who used to spend 100+ nights on the road for years... I'm honestly relieved most of my customers don't require as much travel as before. Being home at night is far better than the perceived glam of being a road warrior rep.

punishedlad

Tycoon

1

Business Development Team Lead

I'm a white noise sleeper as well. Usually the hotel units have a button to keep the fan on even if they're not kicking out heat/ac. I'm at a conference right now and I've been doing that every night and sleeping as well as you can in a hotel.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

1

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Cheap $10 box fan from Target/Walmart might do the trick if you can fit it in your bag.

HappyGilmore

Politicker

0

Account Executive

Melatonin, cut screen time, use a sleep mask & ear plugs.

UserNotFound

Politicker

1

Account Executive

I hate those masks! It’s not so much any light or noise that bothers me… it’s my own thoughts. Which might actually be as ominous as it sounds 😆

HappyGilmore

Politicker

0

Account Executive

haha touche! i hate when the mind starts to run at 1000 mph right as I try to wind down.

Beans

Big Shot

0

Enterprise Account Executive

Melatonin and a white noise machine.

chomaianh

Executive

0

BDR

Ear plugs + a heated eye mask

SaasSlingin

Politicker

0

Sr AE

Sunlight early on, cut out screens and light before bed, dont go to bed hungry, try some magnesium

AnchorPoint

Politicker

0

Business Coach

Sleep has never been much of an issue... usually not good the first night, however, only avg 5 hrs a night anyway. Explore meditation... might be an answer.

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