Hotel Sleep Tips: How to Sleep Well in a Hotel Room

Hotel sleep tips matter because most of us sleep worse in a hotel than at home, even in a comfortable room. Part of that is the corridor noise and the strange pillow, but part of it is your brain staying on watch in an unfamiliar place. This guide covers why the first night is the hardest, how to choose and set up the room, dealing with noise, light and temperature, waking up on time, and what to do if you're sharing.

The short answer: your brain keeps partly alert on your first night somewhere new, so expect a lighter night and plan for it. Ask for a quiet room away from lifts, ice machines and the street, then set the room up like your bedroom at home: dark, cool and quiet. Bring earplugs and a sleep mask, keep your usual bedtime routine, and set a reliable alarm you trust so you're not checking the clock. If you're travelling across time zones, get daylight at your destination.

Why the first night is the worst

Sleep researchers call it the first-night effect. A 2016 study of 35 healthy young adults found that on the first night in a new place, one side of the brain stayed more vigilant than the other, acting as a "night watch". The more alert side responded more strongly to unusual sounds, and people woke faster to those sounds on the first night than the second (source).

That's useful to know for two reasons:

• A poor first night is normal. It doesn't mean the hotel is bad or that you've lost the ability to sleep.
• Sound matters more than usual. Your brain is primed to react to unfamiliar noises, so blocking them is worth the effort.

If you travel often for work, the second and third nights usually feel easier. For short trips, assume the first night will be lighter and avoid scheduling your most demanding morning straight after it if you can. Our guide to the first night in a new place goes deeper.

Choosing the right room

A quick request at booking or check-in makes more difference than any gadget.

Ask for	Why
A room away from the lifts	Lift chimes and doors run all night
Away from ice machines and service areas	Constant hum and late-night clatter
A higher floor, away from the street	Less traffic, nightlife and garbage trucks
Not above a bar, restaurant or function room	Music and voices until late
A quieter side of the building	Courtyard or back of the hotel, not the main road
Late checkout if available	Takes the pressure off an early alarm

If the room turns out to be noisy, ask to move on the first evening. It's much easier than on night three.

Setting up the room

Make the room as close to your bedroom at home as you can.

1. Darkness. Close blockout curtains fully and clip the gap with a hanger or bag clip. Cover standby lights on the TV and air conditioner with a tissue or tape. Pack a sleep mask; see do sleep masks work.
2. Temperature. Hotel rooms often run warm. Set the air conditioning cooler before you go to dinner. See the best bedroom temperature for sleep.
3. Noise. Earplugs, or a white noise app at low volume to cover the corridor. Put the Do Not Disturb sign out.
4. The bed. Ask for extra pillows or a different type if the ones provided don't suit. Some hotels have a pillow menu.
5. Phone away. Charge it across the room or face down so notifications don't light up the ceiling.

Dealing with hotel noise

The World Health Organization recommends bedroom noise below 30 dB(A) at night for good-quality sleep (source). Plenty of hotel rooms are louder than that, between air conditioning, plumbing and traffic.

• Earplugs are the most effective cheap fix. Foam ones are light enough to sleep on your side.
• Steady background sound, like the air conditioning fan or a white noise app, can mask sudden noises. See does white noise help you sleep.
• A rolled towel along the bottom of the door cuts corridor noise and light.
• Call reception about noisy neighbours late at night rather than lying awake.

The catch with earplugs is that you may not hear your alarm. That's covered below.

Waking up on time

A strange room and an important morning is a recipe for checking the clock every hour. The fix is an alarm you trust completely.

• Don't rely on the hotel's bedside clock. You don't know how it's set or how loud it is.
• Wake-up calls are a useful backup, but they're a single ring and easy to sleep through.
• Set your own main alarm, plus a backup on a separate device.
• If you wear earplugs, use an alarm you'll feel rather than hear. See how to wake up with earplugs in.

If you're sharing a room with a colleague, friend or family, a loud alarm wakes everyone. A vibrating alarm on the wrist only wakes you. See travel alarm clock for portable options. A vibrating alarm clock is not a safety device: hotel fire alarms still matter, so check the evacuation map on the door when you arrive.

Jet lag and time zones

If you've crossed time zones, the hotel isn't the only problem. The Sleep Health Foundation advises switching to destination time as soon as possible, eating and sleeping on local time, and getting sunlight to help your body adjust. It suggests exercising in daylight, particularly early morning or late afternoon, and not too close to bedtime (source). For more, see our jet lag tips.

This guide is general information, not medical advice. If you sleep badly most nights at home as well as away, talk to your GP.

Where the Sovune Nudge fits

We make the Sovune Nudge, a vibrating alarm wristband, so we're not neutral. It packs easily and suits hotel rooms, earplugs and shared rooms.

• Silent. No speaker and no sound, so a roommate or partner sleeps on.
• Wakes you with vibration on your wrist, so it works with earplugs in.
• Under 20 grams, with up to 14 days of nightly use per charge, so a work trip doesn't need the charger.
• Shows the time when you press the button, with no light in the room otherwise.

It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Quick answers

Why can't I sleep in hotels? Your brain stays partly on alert in a new place, especially on the first night. Noise, light and an unfamiliar bed add to it.

How do I block noise in a hotel room? Ask for a room away from lifts and the street, use earplugs, and put a rolled towel along the bottom of the door.

Should I rely on a hotel wake-up call? Use it as a backup, not your only alarm. Set your own alarm as well.

How do I make a hotel room darker? Clip the curtains closed, cover standby lights, and pack a sleep mask.

For every type of silent alarm compared, see our complete guide to vibrating alarms in Australia.

See the Sovune Nudge →