How to sleep better in a hotel, starting with the first night

The pillows are plump, the sheets are crisp and there’s no alarm set for the morning. Then you turn out the light and discover that the curtains don’t quite meet. From the pillow, you have a remarkably good view of the car park lamp.

A comfortable bed is only part of what makes a room easy to sleep in. At home, you already know which side of the pillow you like, what that click in the hallway is and how far to leave the window open. In a hotel, some of that figuring out happens just as you’re trying to drift off.

Whether you’re away for work or have booked a couple of nights in the Lakes, it helps to do the figuring out a little earlier.

Why the first night can feel different

Sleep researchers call it the first-night effect: on the first night in a new sleep setting, people can take longer to fall asleep or spend more time awake during the night. A  2024 study in Sleep found differences between first and subsequent recordings even when some recordings took place at home. The researchers were measuring sleep under study conditions, so the effect is more complicated than simply being in a strange bed. PMC

For a weekend away, the useful part is knowing that one restless night needn’t set the tone for the whole stay. Nor do you have to put up with something obvious, like a fan that rattles each time it starts. There’s a difference between getting used to a room and spending two nights wishing you’d mentioned the fan.

Give the room a trial run before dinner

When you put your bags down, try the curtains and find the heating controls. If you’ve arrived on a November afternoon, it may already be dark enough to switch off the lamps and see where light comes in. Otherwise, try it when you get back from dinner. Look from the pillow: a light you barely notice standing up can be directly in your eyeline once you lie down.

Close any gap the curtains will allow, turn the bedside clock away if its display bothers you, and check whether you actually want that extra blanket. The NHS guide to sleeping better suggests a dark, quiet room at a comfortable temperature. What that feels like is personal. A room that’s lovely and warm when you come in from the rain can feel quite different under a thick duvet. NHS

If noise is the issue, be specific when you speak to reception. “I can hear the lift doors from my pillow” gives them something they can act on. If you know you’re sensitive to corridor noise, you can also ask for a room away from the lifts when you book.

What earns its place in the overnight bag?

A silk sleep mask makes sense if light is the part you can’t control. It’s particularly handy in a shared room: one of you can finish a chapter with the bedside lamp on while the other settles down. The NHS suggests an eye mask when unwanted light remains a problem. NHS

Try yours at home before packing it. Lie the way you usually sleep and turn your head against the pillow. Can you blink comfortably? Does the edge lift beside your nose? If you sleep on your side, check where the strap or adjuster sits when your cheek meets the pillow. A mask can feel lovely in your hand and quite different after ten minutes on your side.

If you’re comparing shapes, take a look at OruSleep’s contoured sleep mask. Its recessed eye area and adjustable strap are useful details to look at when deciding what will sit comfortably on your face. OruSleep

Leave room in the bag for whatever you actually enjoy at bedtime, too. A paperback you’re halfway through is a good choice. There’s something familiar to pick up after the suitcase is unpacked, and you already know whether you want to read the next chapter.

If you’re still awake

It’s tempting to keep checking the time, particularly when breakfast is booked or you have a meeting the next morning. Set the alarm once, then leave the clock out of view. If you’re comfortable, it’s fine to lie there and rest. If you’re getting frustrated, the NHS suggests getting up for a quiet activity and returning to bed when you feel sleepy. In a hotel room, that might mean a few pages in the chair by the window. NHS

For a short stay, the most useful changes are often the ones you can make while you’re still in your coat: draw the curtains, turn down the heating if the room feels too warm, ask about the noise. Then go out and enjoy the evening you came for.