We all know how important it is to get enough sleep. When we’re in a strange place, though, it’s not always that easy to actually get to sleep. Establishing a pre-bed routine for travel, or maintaining the one you use at home, is a great way to help yourself drift off.

Of course, it’s so easy to get to your room, throw your suitcase on the floor, and fall facedown on the bed. Or stay up to 2am working in bed and just set the laptop down and turn off the light. I am guilty of both of those, but I often find that without my normal pre-bed routine it takes longer to fall asleep and I don’t feel as rested in the morning. So here is what I do to get ready for bed when I’m traveling.

• Wash my face, take out  my contacts, brush my teeth. I know, I know, everyone does this. Or should. But there is something really soothing about taking care of yourself. Plus, I love the smells of everything I use. My facewash and moisturizer are both from Juice Beauty, and they smell so fresh. I will often use aromatherapy here, as well, putting lavender lotion on my hands.
• Read for twenty or so minutes. Whether it’s a mystery or memoir or book on finance, I read every night, without fail, for 20-30 minutes before bed. This gets me laying down, in the mindset of rest, letting go of my day, and let’s me ease into bedtime.
• Listen to a meditation. This may not work for everyone, and I typically only do it when I’m traveling. Once the light are off, I listen to a meditation, typically from the Meditation Now 2 app on my iPhone.  This is incredibly relaxing, and I will often fall asleep toward the end.
• Turn on the White Noise. If I’m still awake after the meditation, I will turn on my White Noise app on my iPhone. This is just like home, where we always have the fan on at night. Plus it helps block the noises from the hallway, outside, or even inside (loud heater in Salt Lake City I am looking at you!!).

These don’t work every time, but when I follow this routine I am usually asleep within a few minutes. Definitely makes work the next day much easier!!