Can’t sleep while traveling…

I’m on a mini-trip to a training class in San Francisco. Well, technically Millbrae, as I’m carless, but within a mile of the airport. And only 0.8 miles from one of two In-N-Out burger joints in Northern CA. (While fine, I’m afraid it didn’t live up to my classmates’ hype.) The class is cool, and I’ll write about that after I’ve returned.

What’s bugging me now is how poorly I sleep while traveling.

There’s nothing obviously wrong with the room. It’s apportioned with a cushy king-sized bed (larger, squeakless, and bereft of the aberrant springage of my queen-sized at home). There are a half-dozen pillows of varying squishiness. And the lead-lined curtains to hide all incoming light. I should theoretically be sleeping well: my spouse isn’t tossing and turning; the kids aren’t randomly coming into to check if we’re asleep, report an “accident,” ask for another story, or inquire about the rhythmic squeaking noises; and I don’t have access to my five-year backlog of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episodes on the ReplayTV.

(Okay, CSI could be keeping me up if I think about all the, uh, traces that would be apparent if I had the optical scanning gadgetry or an eye for hairs.)

Anyone else have this problem? What’s the solution?

12 thoughts on “Can’t sleep while traveling…”

  1. You didn’t like in-n-out? Tamara didn’t like it either, mainly because she couldn’t get used to the fresh taste of the meat- it’s amazing how different fresh hamburger can taste.

    Sleeping troubles? Ambien.

  2. Depends what your hurdle is. Can’t fall asleep? A benadryl before bed. Can’t stay asleep? Can’t help you so much, though a benadryl might still help.

    Though, honestly, most of the time I don’t sleep appreciably worse while traveling than at any other time. Not that I sleep well a lot of the time anyway.

    Not very helpful, hm.

  3. > You didn’t like in-n-out?

    The burger was okay… better than Dick’s, not as good as Red Mill (or Fuddrucker’s). Fries were good. The shake was criminal.

    > Can’t fall asleep? … Can’t stay asleep?

    Both, but I think falling asleep is the bigger problem. (Not staying asleep is likely from worrying that I’ll be unable to get up on time because I’m up so late…) Maybe next trip I’ll try the Benadryl.

  4. Can’t sleep? Blah blah blah blah

    Dissing In-and-Out burgers???!!!!! Holy Wait Just A Minute. there, Skippy. That’s not right. Maybe the sleep problem is the guilt you feel over dissing some fine burgers…

  5. Gasp! Seriously, you didnt love the burger??? It is my favorite. There is an In N’ Out right next to the grocery store…such a bad location. Everytime I go to buy groceries to actually cook, I smell the burger fumage and must have one of those instead. I switched grocery stores because of it.

    As for your sleep problem, you were cooped up all day either in a airplane or a bus or a train or a rental car or a meeting or a class and so of course you arent falling asleep; you havent really done anything all day. Try going for a 30 minute walk after dinner. It’ll poop you out.

  6. How about a travel sound machine? My husband can’t sleep without one. Might also try packing your own pillow?

    I like the take a walk after dinner idea. I also often use the trick of watching a half hour of semi-boring TV with the lights out to clear my head. Better still if the TV has a timer… turn the volume low and it’s like a poor man’s sound machine solution. (Usually when I can’t sleep it’s because my brain won’t shut up. The noise helps as a distraction.)

  7. Better living through chemistry. I have that problem in spades because I travel to the east coast once or twice a month and the jet lag is a major problem. I talked to my doctor and got a prescription for Ambien. Half a pill works like a charm for me (YMMV). Don’t drink and take them, though. Bad mojo.

  8. Ambien comes in 5 and 10mg.. are you taking half a 5?

    Can’t sleep, the clowns will eat me. Can’t sleep, the clowns will eat me..

  9. “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy wealthy and wise…”
    Honestly that’s when I feel my best, unfortunately lately that schedule has not prevailed in our lives. Still it made me a bit wealthier today; thanks for the blogshares!
    Love your Blog Jim! and I’m jealous of your residence, just MHO, but the Pacific Northwest is the most beautiful place on earth!
    Safe trip home ‘spacecowboy’–

  10. We’re programmed, genetically hard-wired, to sleep badly in unfamiliar situations. It is, IMO, a legacy from the wandering caveman days when we never knew if a predator with big teeth and claws lived around the corner when we chose to the spend the night in an unfamiliar cave. (Have you ever noticed that when you doze off in class or a meeting it’s your sense of hearing that cuts out last? [grins])

    Solution wise: I’d definitely go with the sound machine and my own pillow and a little walk after dinner if the air is nice. Try to keep things as normal as possible (if you read before bed, read; if you watch tv, watch TV (hard to simulate the wandering of offspring but ‘as possible’ is flexible)). And keep your schedule if you can.

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