City Sleep Hacks
For many expats, a Bangkok bedtime is a world away from their usual routine, presenting a whole new set of challenges to reaching the Land of Nod (and staying there) each night.
Drifting off into a peaceful slumber is a breeze for some. But others struggle to switch off and relax, especially in cities as full of stimuli as Bangkok. Perhaps the hometown sheep you used to count have fled for sleepier pastures, leaving you wide awake at 1:00 a.m., remembering the times when dozing off didn’t feel like an endless fight between body and brain.
Avoid falling into a restless rut with these easy-to-follow sleep hacks for a good night’s rest in the city:
#1 PUT YOUR PHONE TO BED
Living in different time zones from family and friends means catching up becomes less convenient. As your day ends, your friends back home are just getting going, leading to a flurry of phone activity when you’re heading to bed. Though it can be difficult to step away from this contact, it’s doing your sleep pattern a world of harm.
Research has found that staring at the glare given off by your phone and other electronics at night prevents our brains from releasing melatonin, a hormone that tells our bodies it’s nighttime. The result? Our internal body clocks become confused, delaying sleep and affecting its quality. Try cutting out phone activity for a full hour before you hit the hay — any messages or emails you receive in that time will still be there tomorrow.
#2 TOO HOT TO HANDLE?
Even at night, temperatures in Bangkok can reach up to 80 F, making it difficult to get comfortable under the covers. Of course, keeping your air conditioning running all night will negate the need to take extra measures to keep cool, but it’s not always the most economical nor environmentally-friendly to stay comfortable.
Beat the heat by choosing lightweight cotton sheets to encourage ventilation and airflow in your bedroom, and stick to loose pajamas. Some people prefer to sleep au natural to keep them cool at night — this method is worth a try just to see if you might prefer sleeping in the nude. You can also lower the total heat in your apartment by unplugging appliances and switching off lights when they’re not in use and by eating cold or room-temperature dishes to avoid generating extra body heat.
#3 SOUNDS OF THE CITY
Whether it’s the bustling traffic below, the whirr of your air con, or that darn dog that won’t stop barking, Bangkok has a soundtrack that just won’t quit. Before you pack up and move to a quieter soi, consider these less drastic measures.
a. Earplugs and noise-canceling headphones are not long-term solutions but can work wonders when the occasional noisy night is keeping you awake. Consider sleeping on your side and wearing just one earplug in the exposed ear. That way you’ll block out most sound, and you’ll be less likely to miss an alarm clock in the morning.
b. It’s also helpful to go to bed at the same time each night. Aregular bedtime will help stabilize your circadian rhythm and make it easier to fall asleep.
c. If all else fails, consider relocating to another neighborhood or building — there are few things worse for our physical and mental wellbeing than prolonged sleeplessness.
#4 BOOZE OR SNOOZE?
While most of us have heard that cheese before bedtime gives you bad dreams, few may know that spicy food and alcohol can cause nightmares of their own. Unfortunately, Bangkok is well-known for both, and whether you’re catching dinner at a street stall or socializing at a bar, fiery feasts and bottles of Chang are as much a part of the city’s lifestyle as temples and traffic.
For slumber that leaves you feeling rested, it’s worth abstaining from time to time. Not only are spicy dishes likely to give you indigestion, they are also linked to more time waking during the night and taking longer to fall asleep. Alcohol, on the other hand, may help you to nod off quicker but can actually cause you to wake up, leaving you feeling less rested in the morning. Alchohol also increases your risk of snoring, leading to a broken sleep and difficulty concentrating during the day.
