Sleep Tourism: How To Craft a Holiday Around Rest and Relaxation

What if the best souvenir from your next vacation isn’t a keepsake or a local delicacy, but a full eight hours of uninterrupted sleep? Welcome to the world of sleep tourism, where restoration is front and centre of your travel experience. This growing wellness trend recognises that true luxury lies not in thread counts or amenities alone, but in the profound restoration that comes from exceptional sleep. It’s a way to discover carefully curated environments, sleep-enhancing amenities and expert-led programmes designed to help you rest, recharge and wake up better than when you arrived.

Sleep tourism is the art of travelling specifically with the goal of improving your sleep. In other words, to make rest the reason you travel in the first place. How? By choosing a hotel that’s designed to optimise rest: think blackout curtains, soundproof rooms and custom mattresses. You could also enrol in a multi-day sleep retreat that offers specialised services like consultations with sleep coaches, guided meditations, breathing workshops and even high-tech sleep tracking.

There’s no mystery here: modern life is exhausting. Between late-night emails, work pressures and the constant rhythm of daily living, many people are simply not sleeping well. According to studies by the World Health Organisation and other bodies, sleep disorders and insomnia are on the rise. Globally, around one-third of adults report struggling with insomnia, while the same proportion of Americans don’t get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night. 

Studies also show that quality sleep plays a vital role in everything from immune function and mental clarity to emotional regulation and heart health. That’s why for a growing number of travellers, “getting away” now means escaping sleep deprivation as much as looking forward to a change in their daily routine. In other words, many of us are starting to realise that sleep is a fundamental part of wellness.

To make informed decisions about travelling, you need to understand how it affects your sleep and routine.

• Jet lag is one of the most significant challenges of travelling, as crossing time zones disrupts your body’s natural circadian rhythms. Typically, the more time zones you cross, the more severe the jet lag. Also, eastward travel generally causes more severe symptoms than westward travel.
• Environmental factors in your new location can significantly impact sleep quality. Unfamiliar sounds, different lighting conditions and varying room temperatures all contribute to sleep disruption. 
• The stress of travel itself, including navigation challenges, schedule changes and being away from familiar surroundings can elevate cortisol levels and interfere with your body’s natural sleep processes.

So, how can you sleep better while travelling? Here are some easy tips:

• Maintain a consistent sleep schedule when possible, even across time zones, and consider arriving at your destination a day early to adjust to local time. 
• Pack familiar comfort items like a favourite pillow or sleep mask to create a sense of home in unfamiliar surroundings. 
• Avoid heavy meals, caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime, and stay hydrated throughout your journey.
• Establish a pre-sleep routine such as gentle stretching, reading or meditation, so that your body knows it’s time to wind down.

Of course, many of us simply don’t have the time to travel solely to rest. But there’s still plenty you can do to incorporate the principles of sleep tourism into your journey, whether you’re travelling for fun, away on business or taking a family holiday. 

Have you ever returned from a holiday more tired than when you left? Over-packed schedules and pressure to “see it all” can drain rather than rejuvenate. But a sleep-focused escape gives you a chance to slow down and reset, while also making the most of your destination. How? Choose places that value slow travel, where sleep and serenity are built into the rhythm of your stay.

Also ensure that you book a hotel with sleep-friendly spaces, like Novotel. Think signature mattresses for optimal support, cloud-like pillows and duvets, and ultra-soft linens. Our hotels offer calm, peaceful environments in both public spaces and guest rooms, using design elements like natural lighting and serene colour palettes.

If you’re a frequent flyer or road warrior, you may suffer from jet lag, irregular schedules and poor hotel sleep. Sleep tourism offers an antidote to the mental fog and fatigue that comes with constant travel. Choose a hotel that prioritises sleep, so you show up sharp for meetings, presentations and conferences, and feel less stressed at the thought of having to travel for work.

Novotel hotels take a holistic approach to sleep, creating an environment where you can achieve optimal rest while also supporting your overall travel goals. Many of our hotels offer fitness facilities designed to help you maintain exercise routines that facilitate healthy sleep patterns, including gyms, swimming pools and wellness areas. Our restaurants also provide healthy dining options that support sleep quality, so you can avoid heavy late-night meals that will interfere with your rest.

A well-rested family is a happier one, and sleep tourism can help restore harmony, one bedtime story at a time. A family-friendly hotel like Novotel makes it easy to travel with little ones. With connecting rooms, soundproofing and flexible bedding arrangements, your whole family can maintain your sleep routines. Many of our hotels also provide amenities like blackout curtains, while our Social Hubs are a calm place for you to relax after your children are asleep.

Sleep may be the most underrated luxury in modern life. Perhaps that’s why sleep tourism is here to remind us that real rest is not just a necessity, but a destination in itself. Longing for a good night’s sleep? Novotel is ready to welcome you with open arms, crisp sheets and a perfectly fluffed pillow.