I've never been good at relaxing, and vacations are usually more stressful than my daily life. As soon as I hit the ground, I started running and didn't really stop - I actually cried when I got home from a recent trip because I was so tired. Thankfully, sleep vacations have now become a phenomenon that has changed the way I think about travel. What is a sleep vacation? It was basically a weary traveler’s dream come true and I quickly booked one. Some hotels are now offering packages specifically to help you catch up on your sleep, and I’m going to need one soon. Nneka M. Okona, writing for Well + Good, was kind enough to share her sleep vacation findings with the rest of us, and I'm so grateful for that. I don't think I've ever loved a concept as much as I do now.
Well + Good spoke with sleep medicine consultant Dr. Rebecca Robbins about the program she helped develop at New York City's Benjamin Hospital. The hotel's "Rest & Recover" program offers 10 (TEN!!!) pillow options, ranging from "water-filled" to "anti-snoring." On top of that, they have blackout curtains, noise machines, sleep masks, and a 24/7 sleep team. It may seem strange to go to a bustling city like New York and spend all your time sleeping, but it's hard to enjoy any trip if you don't feel like you're relaxed enough. If you're a local, the focus on sleep makes it the perfect staycation.
Meanwhile, Westin Hotels is offering a "Sleep Well" package at many of its properties, which sounds like heaven. The description begins: "Get a good night's sleep in our Heavenly Bed with our Sleep Well Lavender Balm toiletries." Enjoy a good night's sleep in a Heavenly Bed? Who can say no to that? (The package also includes spa credit, late checkout, and dining credits toward the hotel's "Nice Night" menu.) The Westin Paris takes things to a level that's either impressive or excruciating, depending on how you look at it World - They offer a "Digital Detox" package that requires guests to put their electronic devices in the safe upon check-in and not bring any devices with them during the trip.
To be fair, electronic-device-free bedrooms have been shown to improve sleep health, but a hotel stay that promises "put some magazines in your room and rediscover the joy of print reading" doesn't sound like my idea of a fun stay. travel. But if you're committed to relaxing, you have options. At Premier Inn (a hotel chain with locations in Europe and the United Arab Emirates), they're so confident that you'll sleep well that if you don't, they'll refund your money. I'd like to ask them to resolve this issue.
This might feel like a marketing ploy—after all, isn’t the point of a hotel just to sleep? — but it can be really hard to fall asleep in a strange place, especially if you have a busy schedule and want to make the most of your trip. Missing even one night's sleep can take a toll on your health, and if you're like me when you travel, you can be making those around you miserable if you're consistently under-rested.
I've always thought of the holidays as a time to take in as many sights and sounds as possible, but there's nothing wrong with breaking from tradition and traveling somewhere interesting to sleep in all day and relax. This definitely sounds better than my usual vacation schedule, which almost always ends with me needing a vacation to recover from the holidays.
