6 Ways to Fix Your Sleep Schedule After Traveling, According to Sleep Medicine Experts

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When you travel for the holidays—whether that be to visit family or go on an international vacation—your sleep will most likely suffer. There are endless reasons for this, starting with a phenomenon known as the first-night effect. “The first night in any new or unfamiliar environment, such as a hotel, is typically not your best sleep,” says Lynelle Schneeberg, a Yale Medicine sleep psychologist.

While you may get into a groove within a couple of days, other factors may interfere with the quality of your sleep, too. Attending holiday gatherings and navigating taxing family dynamics are inherently stressful, for instance, and stress can lead to trouble falling asleep, waking up in the night, and rising too early in the morning. Drinking alcohol can mess with your sleep hygiene shut-eye, as can eating processed or sugar-rich foods you normally don’t go for, says Dr. Scheeberg.

That said, if your sleep routine falls out of whack over the holidays, don’t fret. Here are six simple tips to help you reset when you’re back home.

1. Exercise 4 to 6 hours Before Bed

Typically, your core body temperature drops about two hours before your bedtime, which sends a signal to your brain that it’s time to release melatonin, a hormone that plays a role in sleep, says Shelby Harris, a clinical psychologist who specializes in behavioral sleep medicine. If you’ve been going to bed earlier or later, however, the timing of this body cooling effect may get thrown off.

To mimic or amplify this process, try working out for four to six hours before you plan to go to bed, Harris recommends. “The body warms up when you exercise and then takes a few hours to cool down, which then signals the melatonin release, leading to the body naturally beginning to feel sleepier,” says Harris.

Exercising for just 20 minutes will do the trick, she says. The key is to get your heart rate up—whether that’s through strength training, yoga, or something more low-key like a brisk walk, says Harris. One thing to keep in mind: working out less than four hours before your bedtime can actually energize you, making it harder to fall asleep when you want to, research shows.

2. Take a Hot Shower or Bath 1.5 to 2 Hours Before Bed

A hot rinse will warm up your body so that it cools off just in time for your sleep, says Harris. “When you’ve been traveling or having different bedtimes, you can coax that melatonin release by taking a hot shower or bath,” says Harris.

A 2019 analysis published in Sleep Medicine Reviews found that a nighttime shower can reduce sleep latency—the amount of time it takes to fall asleep—and improve the quality of your rest. A 2023 study found that the higher you can raise your body temperature during your bath, the easier it will be to fall asleep and experience better sleep quality.

You don’t need to soak forever—a 10- to 15-minute bath or shower will do the trick, says Harris. Showering too close to bedtime—within an hour or so—can have the opposite effect and keep you up, she adds.

3. Read a Mildly-Boring Book in Bed

Many people find themselves fretting about, say, their job, upcoming plans, or relationship come 9 P.M. The brain goes wild. To combat this, when you’re finally back in your own bed, grab a mellow book (or audiobook) and read or listen for an hour or so, Schneeberg says. Doing this lets all the distractions that kept you busy since morning melt away. A book provides your brain with a pleasant distraction to stave off this heightened anxiety, says Schneeberg.

A quick caveat: the book shouldn’t be too boring. On a scale of one to ten, aim for a five or six on the boring scale. “A ten being a book by your favorite author and a one being a phonebook,” she says. A book that’s too dull won’t pull your attention away from your worries, and a book that’s too exciting will keep you awake and alert.

4. Don’t Do Sleep Math

If you’re desperate to get some shut-eye, there’s little worse than tossing and turning all night long. When this happens, people start stressing over how much sleep they’ll be able to get. You think, How can I already be awake? What if I can’t get back to sleep? How many more hours until my alarm goes off?

Calculating your sleep—or “doing sleep math”—activates the stress response, which causes your body to produce adrenaline, a hormone that gives you an energy surge, according to Schneeberg. To avoid this trap, pick up that book, do a sleep meditation, or listen to a soothing podcast. “Really, any quiet activity that is pleasant, distracting, and relaxing is a smart choice,” she says.

5. Get Up at the Same Time Every Morning

As tempted as you may be to sleep in after traveling, try to wake up at the same time every morning. Getting up at the exact same time every day stabilizes your circadian rhythm, also known as your body clock, which essentially tells your body when to release sleep hormones like melatonin and when to pump out wake hormones such as cortisol, says Schneeberg.

As a result, your body will know exactly when to release cortisol in the morning, causing you to be less groggy when it’s time to get up, she says. Better yet, your rise time also dictates your sleep time—your body will reliably produce melatonin, making you drowsy roughly 16 to 17 hours after you wake, according to Schneeberg. 

6. Expose Yourself to Sunlight Soon After Waking Up

Try to soak up some sunlight within 30 minutes of waking up. Sunlight acts as a cue for your body to turn off sleep hormones and ramp up the wake hormones, ultimately helping you both fall asleep and wake up, says Schneeberg.

As for how to get your sunlight? Going outside is best, since natural light is full-spectrum (meaning it includes all colors from red to violet, as well as infrared and UV light), which is the most powerful type of light for resetting and regulating your circadian clock, says Schneeberg. She recommends getting outside for two to five minutes—sipping a cup of coffee, taking your dog out, or walking to your mailbox. If that seems like a chore, lounge next to a window or buy a 10,000 Lux lightbox and sit near that for up to 30 minutes.

Finally, give yourself some grace—getting back on track takes some time. By easing into it, you may actually find yourself sleeping better since there’s less pressure to get the “perfect” night’s rest, says Harris. You’ll be snoozing soundly again before you know it.

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