Why can't I sleep in a new place? You are probably feeling the first night effect. Research suggests part of your brain stays more alert on your first night somewhere unfamiliar, listening for anything unusual. Sleep usually gets better on the following nights, and a few familiar habits can make that first night easier.
Sleep researchers call this pattern the first night effect. The Sleep Foundation explains that on the first night in an unfamiliar place, people may take longer to fall asleep and get less total sleep and less REM sleep. The good news: those delays improve over the nights that follow.
It can show up anywhere unfamiliar: a hotel, a guest room, a sofa bed at your parents' house, a dorm, a tent, even a new bedroom after you move.
In 2016, researchers published a study in the journal Current Biology that looked at why the first night is so rough. PubMed lists it as supported in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The team measured brain activity while people slept, using brain imaging and standard sleep recordings. Here is what they reported:
One half of the brain slept less deeply. On the first night, sleep depth was uneven between the two halves of the brain, in a network called the default-mode network. That network is active when your mind wanders while you're awake and resting.
A bigger gap meant a slower start. The more uneven the two sides were, the longer people took to fall asleep.
The lighter-sleeping side listened harder. It reacted more strongly to unusual sounds, and those sounds woke people up more often.
It faded. None of these differences showed up in the later sleep sessions.
The authors described this as a kind of "night watch" that may protect a sleeper in a new place. The Sleep Foundation's summary says the extra activity was in the left hemisphere. So a rough first night is not a sign that something is wrong with you. It may simply be your brain keeping an ear open in a place it doesn't know yet.
Not everyone sleeps worse on the road. The Sleep Foundation describes research in which some people with insomnia at home slept better on trips, while others developed new sleep problems while traveling. The group with new problems included more business travelers than tourists, which suggests stress and obligations matter, not just the room. Morning types were also more likely than evening types to report new symptoms.
Read reviews for sleep clues. The Sleep Foundation lists poor pillows and mattresses, hot rooms, street noise, light from windows and ventilation noise as common guest complaints. Reviews that mention them are worth noticing.
Ask for a quieter room. A higher floor, away from the street, the elevators and the conference rooms, is a good request.
Test the room early. When you arrive, lie on the bed, try the pillows and close the curtains. If something is wrong, ask for a change at 6 p.m., not at midnight.
Control the light. Use blackout curtains if the room has them, or pack an eye mask. Our guide to making your bedroom darker has more ideas that travel well.
Cool it down. The Sleep Foundation suggests a room temperature between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit (about 16 to 19 degrees Celsius).
Mask sudden sounds. Earplugs, a fan or a steady sound at low volume can cover hallway noise. See our guide to white noise for sleep for safe volume tips.
Staying with family brings its own problems: a lumpy sofa bed, a shared room, a house that stays loud late or wakes up early, and a schedule that isn't yours.
Bring something familiar. The Sleep Foundation suggests packing a sentimental item, such as a photo of loved ones, or a familiar scent. If you need a certain kind of pillow, bring your own.
Ask a few questions on day one. When does the house get quiet? Who gets up first? Is there a fan you can borrow?
Keep your usual bedtime. It is fine to say good night while everyone else stays up.
Pack a small sleep kit. Earplugs, an eye mask and a phone charger that reaches the bed cover most surprises.
Dim things down. The Sleep Foundation suggests keeping the room as dim as possible for at least an hour before bed and limiting device use.
You can't make a strange room familiar overnight, but you can make the half hour before bed familiar. The idea is simple: same steps, same order, wherever you are.
Example travel wind-down (adjust it to your own routine):
About 30 minutes before bed, dim the lights and set the room temperature.
Wash up and change in the same order you do at home.
Set out your familiar things: your pillowcase, a photo, your eye mask and earplugs.
Start a steady sound at low volume if you use one.
Swap scrolling for a few pages of a paper book or a slow breathing exercise.
Lights out at your usual time.
If you can't fall asleep after about 20 minutes, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests getting out of bed and doing a quiet activity without much light. In a hotel, that might be the armchair, a book and one dim lamp. And if a trip includes a big day, such as a wedding or a presentation, arriving a night early means your rough first night isn't the night before it.
A rough first night or two in a new place is expected. Poor sleep everywhere, including at home, is different. The NHS advises seeing a GP if changing your sleep habits hasn't helped, if you've had trouble sleeping for months, or if insomnia is affecting your daily life in a way that makes it hard to cope. NIH News in Health advises telling your doctor if you snore chronically, wake up choking or gasping, or feel sleepy during the day. And don't drive when you feel sleepy.
This is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.
In the 2016 study, the brain differences appeared on the first night and were not seen in later sessions. The Sleep Foundation says sleep delays improve over the nights that follow, so the second night is usually easier.
In the 2016 study, the lighter-sleeping half of the brain reacted more strongly to unusual sounds, and those sounds woke people more often. Earplugs or a steady background sound can soften hallway noise.
Some people do. The Sleep Foundation describes research in which some people with insomnia at home slept better on trips. If that's you, notice what's different, such as light, noise, temperature or your evening routine, and try to bring it home.
The Sleep Foundation suggests bringing your own pillow if you need a specific type, and packing a familiar item. It's an easy, low-cost thing to try.
Sleepward: Bedtime Routine is an iPhone app for a calmer evening wind-down. It has an editable routine, a gradually darkening wind-down screen, and white, pink and brown noise with a sleep timer, so the same steps can come with you to a hotel or a guest room. It is free with optional Pro purchases, has no accounts or ads, and keeps your notes and sleep records on your device.
Get Sleepward free on the App Store
How to Get a Good Night's Sleep in a Hotel (Sleep Foundation)
Healthy Sleep Habits (American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Sleep Education)