{"id":5465,"date":"2022-08-31T09:02:58","date_gmt":"2022-08-31T09:02:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bettersleep.org\/?p=5465"},"modified":"2022-08-31T09:02:58","modified_gmt":"2022-08-31T09:02:58","slug":"sleep-your-travel-essential","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bettersleep.org\/blog\/sleep-your-travel-essential\/","title":{"rendered":"Sleep: Your Travel Essential"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Traveling<\/p>\n

Whether you are headed out on family vacation or gearing up for a business trip, one of the most important things for any traveler to remember to take along is sufficient sleep! It may seem like an obvious essential, but it doesn\u2019t always get the travel priority it deserves.<\/span><\/p>\n

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So if you aren’t making sleep an essential travel item on your trips, this article is for you – and your sleep!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why is sleep so important for traveling?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Travel involves its own share of headaches (especially these days, sigh), including long lines, canceled flights, missed connections, changes in diet and exercise routines, and lost luggage. Although a good night\u2019s sleep doesn\u2019t help deter any of these hiccups, it can certainly help you handle the unavoidable in a better headspace.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Unfortunately, many of us get off on a sleep-deprived foot when traveling. Whether it’s staying up late packing the night before or having a ridiculously early flight \u2013 starting travel without sufficient sleep can jeopardize your fun, experience, and overall performance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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And when it comes to business travel, the requisite high level of physical and mental performance can be more challenging than necessary if you aren\u2019t prioritizing your ZZZs. When sleep gets priority, you can increase your \u201ctravel competence\u201d by improving your productivity, focus, problem-solving, and peak performance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Also, sleep loss affects us in unflattering ways. In his New York Times bestselling book, \u201cEat Move Sleep\u201d, Tom Rath explains, \u201cLosing four hours of sleep is comparable to drinking a six-pack of beer.\u201d What?! Hang on – there\u2019s more. A 2003 study demonstrated that travel-related sleep loss primarily contributed to a decline in productivity during business trips. The same study found that business travelers lost an estimated 8 hours of sleep during a week-long trip.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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There\u2019s no doubt that traveling is disruptive to our normal routines. All travelers can face inherent sleep challenges during travels, including:<\/span><\/p>\n

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