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.

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.