The short answer
Poor sleep on your first night away has a name: the first night effect. In a new place, one side of your brain stays more awake than the other during deep sleep, as if it is keeping watch. Sleep often gets better by the second night. Until then, a cool, dark room, soft earplugs and your usual bedtime can help.
The room is clean. The bed is big. And still you lie there, hearing every door in the hallway. You are not imagining it. Sleep researchers see this so often that they plan for it in their studies.
What is the first night effect?
The first night effect is worse sleep on your first night in a new place, like a hotel or a sleep lab. The Sleep Foundation says it brings trouble falling asleep, less total sleep and less REM sleep, the stage when dreams happen.
It shows up a lot in sleep labs. Researchers usually add an extra "adaptation night" to their studies because of it, says Brown University.
Why can't I sleep in a hotel?
A Brown University team studied 35 people in a sleep lab. Each slept there two nights, a week apart. On the first night, part of the left side of the brain stayed more active than the right side during deep sleep. The team played odd beeps that reached that alert side. People were more likely to wake up, and they reacted faster. On the second night, the difference was gone.
The study calls this "a night watch to protect ourselves." In plain words, part of your brain stays on guard in a place it does not know yet.
"You don't sleep very well in a new place. We all know about it."
That is Yuka Sasaki, one of the Brown researchers, speaking to Brown University news.
The room itself can add to it. The Sleep Foundation points to a large study of hotel guests. They complained about poor pillows and mattresses, hot rooms, street noise, light from the windows and noise from the air system. Jet lag and work stress on a business trip can play a part too.
How can I sleep better in a hotel room?
Most of these tips come from the Sleep Foundation's hotel guide.
- Ask for the right roomA higher floor, away from the street, elevators, the lobby and meeting rooms. If the room is noisy, it is fine to ask to move.
- Make it darkClose the blackout curtains, or wear a comfortable eye mask. Here is how sleep masks help.
- Cool it downSet the room to between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Soften the noisePack earplugs or a white noise machine for the sounds you cannot control. More ideas are in how to block out noise while sleeping.
- Bring a bit of homeYour own pillow, a photo for the nightstand, or a scent you use at home can make the room feel less strange.
- Dim the room earlyKeep the lights low for at least an hour before bed, and keep your phone use small.
Should I keep my home bedtime on a short trip?
Often, yes. Charlene Gamaldo is the medical director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep. She calls it the two-day rule: "If you're going to be staying somewhere fewer than two days, try and keep to your own schedule." She adds that by the time your body adapts, it will be time to go home (Johns Hopkins Medicine).
On longer trips across time zones, try to match the local schedule. Our guide to sleeping on a plane covers the flight itself.
Do earplugs help in a hotel?
They can help with sounds you cannot switch off. Think doors, voices in the hallway, traffic and the air system. The Sleep Foundation describes a study of hospital patients. Those who wore earplugs and an eye mask woke up less often and got more deep sleep.
Earplugs turn the noise down. They do not make a room silent, and every earplug lets some sound through. Do you sleep on your side? Pick a soft pair that sits low in your ear. Then the pillow has less to press on. Our guide to earplugs for side sleepers explains what to look for.
If you need to hear a baby, an alarm or someone who may need you at night, check you can still hear them with your earplugs in. In a hotel, that includes your wake-up alarm. Read more on hearing your alarm with earplugs.
Does it get easier after the first night?
Usually. In the Brown study, the two sides of the brain were back in balance on the second night. The Sleep Foundation says that if your first night is rough, "there's a good chance your second night will be better."
If you sleep badly most nights, at home or away, talk to a doctor.
Questions people ask
Why do I sleep badly the first night in a new place?
It is called the first night effect. In a Brown University study, one side of the brain stayed more alert during deep sleep on the first night, and people woke more easily to odd sounds.
How long does the first night effect last?
In the Brown study, the difference between the two sides of the brain was gone by the second night. The Sleep Foundation says sleep often gets better over the next nights.
Is it normal to not sleep well in a hotel?
Yes. Sleep is often worse on the first night in a new place. Sleep labs usually add an extra night to their studies because of it.
Should I bring earplugs to a hotel?
If noise worries you, the Sleep Foundation suggests packing earplugs or a white noise machine. Side sleepers may like a soft pair that sits low in the ear. Check you can still hear your alarm.
What temperature should a hotel room be for sleep?
The Sleep Foundation suggests a cool room, between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit.
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