Sleeping Tips

Summer means traveling and for you young (or old) recent grads, you may be thinking about traveling abroad to broaden your horizons and gain a life changing multicultural experience. Well if you are, we approve. Traveling to another country is a very important part of ones life and we fully support it! The thing is, where are you going to stay? Hostels are a cheap and interesting way to get the entire “abroad” experience…but a hostel… really? Don’t you sleep with strangers in the same room? 

How on earth will you get sleep while simultaneously worrying about who’s sleeping in the bunk next to you and if they know where your valuables are?Well, we know this concept may seem strange and well, scary, but hostels are a great way to meet new people and sharpen your intercultural competency. On the flip side however, the concept is not one that is widely accepted in America…it just seems weird to us. So, for this reason, we would like to give you some tips for if you plan on staying at a hostel this summer.

Tip 1 Pack accordingly

When you pack your things, keep in mind that hostels are very communal, so anything you don’t want to share, you should bring your own of. Bring your own pillow and maybe some blankets so you feel clean and safe.

Tip 2 Get comfortable

Anxiety from the culture shock and unfamiliarity will cause you to have trouble falling asleep. Losing sleep, along with jet lag, will be a recipe for a not so fun time when you are out sightseeing during the day. To reduce the inevitable anxiety that you will encounter due to being in a new country, and with a bunch of strangers… get familiar with everything. As soon as you get there try to interact with others. Chances are you will find others that speak English and you can easily communicate with them. Also, get familiar with your surroundings and where you are staying. The more you recognize it, the more you will be at ease.

If the hostel doesn’t offer lockers, put your valuables in your bed with you, that way you may feel more at ease and you will therefore get to rest easy at night and get more sleep.

Tip 3 HAVE FUN

Now remember you are on vacation, so treat it as such! Relax, unwind, and let your troubles disappear. If you let yourself relax then you will sleep better at night and wake up more rested the next morning. We can’t begin to tell you how important a good night’s sleep is… especially when you have a busy sightseeing day ahead of you.

If you are traveling, stay safe and we wish you the balanced rest you deserve!

Peace.Love.Sleep!