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Insomnia + Vacation = Success!

A few months ago, I experimented with some odd little changes here and there to my bedtime routine; just to see if I could improve my insomnia. When the strange combination worked, I grew a little more confident and decided I would take my new show on the road – on vacation, that is. Will keeping my bedtime routine on vacation with insomnia be a success?

In all honesty, I was not all that hopeful because vacation sleep, for me, is much different than home sleep and typically not different in a good way. I normally struggle to fall asleep and sleep lightly, if at all, while in a strange bed. That being said, I was still anxious to see how my routine played out in an unfamiliar setting.

Making myself stick to my routine

The most difficult part of the process, and I knew this going into it, would be forcing myself to follow the routine I had been using while on vacation. Vacation is for letting go, being spontaneous, and getting a break from the norm. Staying out late, eating at all hours, and generally having no schedule are typically my vacation goals. I didn’t necessarily want to feel tied to a routine or schedule of any type, but feeling rested would be more than worth it – if it worked. The first night, I was almost tired enough after driving all day to fall asleep without much effort, but I decided to forge ahead and set my pattern in place. Who knew? It might make things easier over the next few nights.

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Keeping my bedtime routine on vacation

The bedtime routine that had been bringing me some luck at home consists of stopping all eating and drinking after 7 pm, lying on the couch after my shower until I feel myself start to doze off and then going to bed for the night. The first time this worked for me at home, I stuck with it each night after that and had great luck.

Night one

On the first night of our vacation, I tried it with some trepidation. I was more than a little afraid of ruining a good thing. I was really surprised, however, that it worked well in a strange place. Admittedly, it took a little longer to get sleepy, but once I did, I headed straight to bed and tried to picture myself at home. Whether it was simply weariness from travel or my routine, I slept and slept well.

Night two

The second night went much like the first. We spent the day out and about. Eating times were thrown off by a couple of hours due to some late shopping, snacking, and a walk on the beach after dark – as a skin cancer survivor, it’s my favorite time. When I realized that 7 PM had come and gone and I still hadn’t eaten, I decided to make some modifications to my schedule.

After we grabbed a late meal, around 9 PM, I thought adding a couple of hours to my 7 PM rule might help. For me, a big part of my insomnia stems from digestive issues. Lying down too soon after a meal can wreak havoc on my night and even impact the following day. Bedtimes are not normal on vacations anyway, so I was glad to stay up a couple of extra hours in the name of good sleep. As it turns out, it worked. I was able to doze off watching something completely mindless and fell asleep fairly quickly after I snuggled into bed.

Calling it a win!

Thankfully, the rest of my vacation nights followed suit. With a few adjustments here and there for eating and showering later than normal, I was able to sleep surprisingly well for the entire trip. I don’t know how long this routine will work for me, but anything that carries over from home to vacation has to be a win, right?

Has sleeping away from home gone shockingly well for you?

Share your experience about keeping bedtime routines on vacation with insomnia. Please comment below.

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