Second,
avoid alcoholic beverages, restricting yourself to virgin cocktails or herbal
teas with no caffeine. Alcohol may decrease the time required to fall asleep,
however studies indicate that consuming alcohol as long as six hours previous
to bedtime will disrupt the second half of your night's sleep.
Sleep
is divided into several different states, alternating between REM or dream-sleep
and deeper sleep. The fourth stage of sleep is the deepest level, but the one
where the disruptive effects of alcohol have the greatest impact. Lack of deep
sleep causes alertness problems, memory deficits, and many other health disorders.
In other words, getting a good night's sleep is extremely important. So,
how do you ensure you'll sleep in a strange bed in a new city? Many travelers
regularly pack a pillow to ensure comfort. While I've never tried it, I do several
other things that I find helpful. A
nice long soak in a hot bath before bedtime is an excellent start to a good night's
sleep. Sleep experts have discovered that sleep deepens as the body temperature
drops, so that by increasing the body temperature just before bedtime, you can
help induce Stage IV, deep dreamless sleep that will help you feel refreshed in
the morning. Have
you tried aromatherapy? It is the use of scents, often in the bath water, to reduce
stress and induce relaxation. When you inhale an aroma, the odor molecules drift
towards the olfactory receptors, which are sensory pathways opening directly into
the brain. Utilizing the limbic system, these odors often trigger memories and
can influence moods and emotions. You may need to try several different aromas
before you find the most effective one for you. Used
in the bath, the scents are often part of an essential oil package, which can
have other benefits, depending on the type you choose. You may want to find an
oil with a herb such as chamomile to help you relax after a hectic day. Or, if
you have that sore-all-over feeling after traveling, try an oil with rosemary
or mugwart in it. I
know I often try to pack far more into a business trip than I should-and you're
likely the same. However, each day should include: ·
Downtime to allow you to relax for at least half an hour or more doing
something you enjoy.
· Exercise time of at least half an
hour, which can be a quick walk, another visit to the exercise room, or a speed-trip
through a nearby mall.
· Regular mealtimes. Don't
try to squeeze your exercise or personal time out of your lunch hour just because
you're going to have a snack bar to eat. Skipping meals will cause lots of problems
later on, as well as throwing your blood sugar levels [which influence energy]
out of whack. Package
up any pressures or deadlines you can't deal with while you're out of town, and
put them at the very back of your mind. Stress is one of the major contributors
to many health problems, so develop positive ways of coping with the things you
can't change. Make
each evening as relaxing as your first one, and you should end up on your flight
home feeling just as rested, or even better than when you left.
--Linda
Aksomitis is a freelance travel writer, as well as fiction and nonfiction writer.
Previously she was the sales representative for a sewing machine company, traveling
to many different North American locations. (...BACK) |
