Editor’s note: Sign up for CNN’s Sleep, But Better newsletter series. our Our 7-part guide includes helpful tips to help you sleep better.
CNN
—
Going on vacation may seem like a pretty unconventional way to improve your sleep habits.
However, sleep tourism has grown in popularity in recent years, with hotels and resorts around the world increasingly offering sleep-focused stays.
Interest has skyrocketed since the pandemic, with many high-profile facilities turning their attention to people suffering from sleep deprivation.
Over the past 12 months, Park Hyatt New York Bright Restorative Sleep Suitea 900-square-foot suite packed with sleep-enhancing amenities, while Rosewood Hotels & Resorts recently announced that alchemy of sleepdesigned to “promote rest.”
Zedwell London’s first sleep-centric hotel with innovative soundproofed rooms will open in early 2020, with Swedish bed manufacturer Hastens creating the world’s first Hastens Sleep Spa Hotel, A year later, a 15-room boutique hotel opened in the Portuguese city of Coimbra.
Impact of the pandemic
So why has sleep suddenly become such a big focus for the travel industry?
Dr. Rebecca Robbinsa sleep researcher and co-author of the book Sleep for Success! We believe this change has been going on for a long time, especially when it comes to hotels.
“At the end of the day, travelers book hotels because they want a place to sleep,” she told CNN Travel, noting that the hotel industry has traditionally focused primarily on what actually interferes with sleep.
“People often associate travel with decadent meals, extended bedtimes, tourist attractions, and things they do while traveling, but in reality, they’re mostly sacrificing sleep,” she adds. Ta.
“I think there is now a seismic shift in our collective consciousness and prioritization of health and well-being.”
The global pandemic seems to be playing a big role in this. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that: 40% of over 2,500 adults Participants reported that their sleep quality had decreased since the pandemic began.
“Sleep has received increased attention in the era of COVID-19, perhaps because so many people are struggling with sleep. [sleep]” says Dr. Robbins.
Hypnotist, meditation and holistic coach Marminder Gill has also noticed a change in attitude towards sleep.
“Everything seems to be moving towards longevity, and I think it’s really accelerating,” Gill told CNN Travel.
“It’s no surprise that sleep is an important aspect of our lives. Lack of sleep can lead to a variety of physical and mental health problems.
“So in addition to fatigue, you’re going to have all kinds of symptoms like anxiety, depression, low mood, mood swings.”
Gill has partnered with London’s Belmond Hotel, Cadogan, to launch The Cadogan, a special service for guests with sleep issues. sleep concierge.
The service includes recordings of sleep-inducing meditations, a pillow menu with options to accommodate guests who prefer to sleep on their back or side, weighted blanket options, and a pre-bedtime tea developed specifically for this service. , includes scented pillows. mist.
“Different things are helpful to different people at different stages of life,” Gill said of the different items offered within the service.
“We’ve been trying to stack the odds in our favor. We think that when you combine all of these things, you’re more likely to get a better quality of sleep. But I don’t think there’s a one-size-fits-all method. .”
Hotels and resorts also tend to offer different types of sleep-focused programs and retreats, with each property approaching the concept differently.
luxury hotel brands sixth sense offers a variety of complete sleep programs ranging from 3 to 7 days or longer at many of its properties, but Brown’s Hotel at the Rocco Forte Hotel in London’s Mayfair recently “Forte Winx” A two-night experience created specifically to lull guests into a “peaceful sleep.”
“Sleep is so important and since lockdown and COVID-19, we have noticed that sleep tourism and overall wellness has become a trend,” said Senior Group PR Manager, Rocco Forte Hotels , explains Daniella Moore.
“So we wanted to take this opportunity to introduce Brown’s as a hotel that cares about our guests getting the best night’s sleep.”
For Gill, seeing more and more experiences of this kind means that the “narrative of staying awake to get things done” is being challenged and people are gaining a deeper understanding of how important sleep is. This is a sign that things are starting to happen.
But can a travel experience that focuses on short-term sleep actually have a long-term impact on a person’s overall sleep?
According to Dr. Robbins, travel experiences centered around “healthy sleep strategies,” which aim to provide guests with the tools they need to improve their sleep, will be designed to help reputable medical or scientific experts identify As long as you are involved in the process and help make decisions, it can be very beneficial. There may be something else.
“If someone attends these retreats and doesn’t see any progress, it may be because their sleep disorder is not being treated,” she explains, adding that a potential example of a sleep disorder is an untreated sleep disorder. He cited symptoms such as hourly apnea syndrome, restless leg syndrome, and insomnia. .
“So it’s really important to make sure that hotels are partnering with scientists and medical experts who can carefully communicate these strategies.”
Mandarin Oriental, Geneva is taking things a step further by partnering with Swiss private sleep medicine clinic CENAS to curate a three-day program to study guests’ sleep patterns to identify potential sleep disorders. I did.
Although the majority of sleep-focused properties and experiences tend to fall into the luxury travel sector, Dr Robbins believes all hotels and resorts should make this a priority.
“There are ways to make it meaningful for different levels,” she adds, noting that “keeping earplugs next to your nightstand costs nothing.”
As sleep tourism continues to grow, Dr. Robbins said he looks forward to meeting “someone who really continues to pioneer and think creatively about this field” and explores avenues that are still under-explored when it comes to travel and tourism. He emphasized that there are countless. The science of sleep.
“The concept that traveling can actually rejuvenate you and allow you to return home refreshed and restored is a really exciting proposition,” she added.
Top image credit: Rocco Forte Hotels
