Road trips are fun and exciting. Generally traveling by your car or a train is very interesting, since your road trip can include a lot of stops and make an amazing journey. However, it includes a lot of sleeping in the vehicle, which can be very uncomfortable and tiring.

That’s why we’ve gathered top tips on how to sleep better on a road trip and make the journey unforgettable. Yes, you can’t have a perfect night of sleep in your favorite bed and pajamas, but there are things that will definitely make the situation better.

Why it’s important to sleep during a trip?

People often forget how being sleep deprived can put you in an extremely dangerous situation during a road trip. Drowsy driving is one of the main reasons road accidents happen, so be sure to sleep well before you go on a road trip. Next, always remember that it’s important to make stops and take a rest, so you don’t get sleepy during the drive.

Do you really need to drive that long?

If you are going on a long drive because of traveling and visiting some places along the way – that’s fine. However, if you need to drive a long way because you are moving – you may want to consider some other options. Luckily, car shipping services are cheap if you pick the right shipping company, so you maybe don’t need to drive that long and risk your safety. Instead, ship your car and book the airplane ticket so you can be rested when you arrive at your new home.

Maybe driving for too long and thinking how to sleep better on a road trip is not necessary – explore the other traveling options alt.tag: a car driving

How to make the environment as comfortable as possible

Going on a road trip is a way to travel budget-friendly. Therefore, this option doesn’t include comfortable hotel beds and bed of your own. However, you can adapt your car, for example, and make the situation as comfortable as possible.

Make the temperature right

Being too cold or too hot is not going to help you sleep. Therefore, be sure to think about the temperature if you want to sleep better on a road trip. When traveling in the summer, hot and sleepless summer nights can be a bit of a problem. That’s why you need to make sure you don’t leave your car parked in the sun, or protect it by covering the windows.

Before going to sleep, make sure you leave your windows open so the cooler air can come in. On the other hand, traveling in winter causes the car to cool down over the night. Therefore, you need to heat it before you go to sleep, but probably wake up a couple of time to do it again during the night.

Bring the sleeping ‘equipment’

If you plan on sleeping in a vehicle, make sure to bring some of your favorite sleeping items. These may include your pillow, a cover, or a blanket. If you are traveling in colder days, make to bring extra blankets or even a sleeping bag.

Sleeping in the front seat

As we’ve mentioned, a pillow and a cover is a must. However, when sleeping in the front seat, you are often able to recline it, which can feel almost as sleeping in your bed. Sleeping in the front seat is a good choice for those sleeping on their backs, so keep that in mind as well.

Sleeping in the back seat

If your car allows you to recline the back seat completely, you’ll get the comfort of an average couch. So, if you are sleeping on your stomach or in a curled position – this may be a great solution for you.

Make it dark and quiet

If you want to sleep better on a road trip, you need to make sure you have a dark and quiet environment. That’s why we recommend using a sleep mask, which can block the light from streetlights if you are parked on a well-lit parking lot or the screen of your airplane seatmate’s phone or tablet. Next, noise can make sleeping well difficult, especially on a train or airplane. In this case, you can use some noise-canceling headphones to help you out.

Of course, it’s not your beloved bed, but it is possible to sleep better on a road trip if you set up the environment alt.tag: keeping – how to sleep better on a road trip

Play some Pleasant music

Since you are not sleeping in a familiar environment, be sure to use all the tricks to make it as pleasant as possible. If you want to sleep better on a road trip, we recommend playing some nice music, or some pleasant nature sounds that can help you go to sleep easily.

How to sleep better on a road trip and stay safe

As previously mentioned, it’s important to sleep well during long drives, since lack of sleep can be putting yourself and others at risk. However, safety is also important when sleeping in a car. Sleeping in a vehicle is often the situation when accidents happen, especially thefts. That’s why you need to do a bit more than simply locking yourself inside your car or a train cabin. Here’s what you can do to improve your safety on a road trip.

Be careful when you park

Think carefully about the location before you stop to get some rest. As you’ll be traveling for days, be sure to explore each stop and see where’s the safest place to park your car and sleep through the night. Generally, it’s good to avoid parking on the main roads, as well as the entrance/exit area. Consider local rest stop, official city’s parking lots, etc.  Take a look at the map and plan your sleeping locations – it’s much safer that way alt.tag: a person showing a map

Lock yourself in

When sleeping in your car, you need to make sure nobody can come in. That’s why be sure to keep the car engine off, and lock all the doors and close all the windows. Also, be sure to keep your car key in a safe place and not visible from the outside.

Keep your valuables safe

Sleeping in a vehicle is risky for losing valuables, so be sure to keep them with you, in a safe place when you are sleeping. Furthermore, never leave these items in the car, if you are leaving it to have lunch, or get some gas.

No matter where you travel with family, friends or work, make sure that you have everything you need to treat your sleep apnea away from home.  Alaska Sleep Clinic has all of supplies and equipment you need.