One issue we hear a lot about is getting quality rest while traveling. Sleep is the foundation of overall health and the starting point for everything. We spend a lot of time in hotels every year and have come up with a few tricks to help make sure we are rested and RTG. My best tip is to always start your sleep routine with some Rack-Out, but it goes deeper than that.

1. Unplug

hotels often have a lot of little lights whether it is the alarm clock, smoke detector, thermostat, or light shining from the hallway under the door. It's important to make sure that the atmosphere in which you sleep is as dark as possible. I like to unplug as much as I can and then I bring a roll of electrical tape and tape any little lights that can't be unplugged, even the smallest amount of light in a room can have an impact on your sleep. I will also take a towel and put it under the door to block the light from the hallway. Another great option is a mask, these are great when you're trying to sleep during the day or are in a room where you just can't sanitize all the light for some reason.

2. Blue light blockers

nowadays blue light is everywhere on TV, phones, and other devices. blue light is a stimulant and while it's good to view in the morning and during the day it can be harmful to sleep if viewed before bed. Do yourself a favor and make sure you invest in a quality pair of blue light blockers, I use Swanies, but a few companies are putting out decent products. try and put your blue light blockers on a couple of hours before bed and dim the lights or just use one lamp.

3. Crank that AC up

As nighttime approaches, our bodies naturally cool off to signal it's time to go to sleep. Hotels are usually warm and the hotel will turn the thermostat up to save on electricity. As soon as you check it, turn that sucker down and put the fan on high, studies have shown that temperatures between 60-68F help stimulate the body's melatonin production. Having a cool environment when you sleep is crucial to a solid night's sleep. Sleeping in a cool environment will also help with weight loss, anti-aging, decrease the risk of disease, reduce stress, and enhance mood.

4. Keep Training 

Working out during the day is a great way to ensure you will have a good night's sleep for obvious reasons. One of the biggest challenges I have had to figure out is training on the road. We are often in different places with various facilities and do not have access to all the equipment we are accustomed to at our home gyms. This makes it super easy to just press pause and take the week off until you get back home. A few things that have helped me keep course is a plan in advance, I will look ahead and schedule my workouts accordingly, maybe I will plan more running that week or workouts that I know can be done in a hotel. Most Marriots have weights up to 50lbs now, so you can usually put together something. I will also always travel with a set of our new workout bands for quick room workouts.

5. Stick to your meal plan

Recent studies have shown that diet can affect hormonal pathways that are involved in sleep and poor diets low in calcium, magnesium, vitamins A,C,D,E and K have been associated with sleep issues. High-carb diets have also been associated with poor sleep as well as waking up throughout the night. One of the hardest things about traveling is eating clean on the road. The highways are littered with fast food and every gas station has a Mcdonalds' attached. One thing I have found to help stay the course is to look up a meal prep place where you are going and/or pack a cooler with a few meals to hold you over until you get settled and can hit the grocery store. It's a little more work and another thing to lug around, but healthy eating is part of the foundation.