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Going on vacation may seem like an unconventional way to try to improve your sleeping habits.
But sleep tourism has been gaining popularity for several years, with an increasing number of sleep-focused stays popping up in hotels and resorts around the world.
Interest has skyrocketed since the pandemic, with several high-profile establishments turning their attention to those suffering from sleep deprivation.
Over the past 12 months, Park Hyatt New York opened Bryte Restorative Sleep Suite, a 900-square-foot suite packed with sleep-enhancing amenities, while Rosewood Hotels & Resorts recently launched a collection of retreats called Alchemy of Sleep, which are designed to “promote rest.”
Zedwell, London's first sleep-focused hotel, featuring rooms equipped with innovative soundproofing, opened its doors in early 2020, and Swedish bed manufacturer Hastens established the world's first Hästens Sleep Spa Hotel, a boutique hotel with 15 rooms, in the Portuguese city of Coimbra. year later.
Impact of the pandemic
So why has sleep suddenly become such a big focus for the travel industry?
Dr. Rebecca Robbins, sleep researcher and co-author of the book “Sleep for Success!” She believes this change has been a long time coming, especially when it comes to hotels.
“At the end of the day, travelers book hotels to have a place to sleep,” he tells CNN Travel, before noting that the hotel industry has largely focused on things that really detract from sleep in the past.
“People often associate travel with delicious food, expanding your bedtime, attractions and things to do while traveling, almost at the expense of sleep,” he adds.
“I now believe there has been a huge seismic shift in our collective consciousness and prioritization of well-being and well-being.”
The global pandemic seems to have played a huge role in this. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that 40% of the more than 2,500 adults who participated reported a reduction in the quality of their sleep since the start of the pandemic.
“There has been more attention paid to sleep in the era of Covid-19, and probably because so many people have struggled with this, [sleep]” says Dr. Robbins.
Hypnotherapist, holistic and meditation coach Malminder Gill has also noticed a change in attitudes towards sleep.
“Everything seems to be moving towards longevity, and I think that's really driven things,” Gill tells CNN Travel.
“Because it's no surprise that sleep is an important aspect of our lives. Lack of sleep can cause many different problems in the body and mental health.
“So, anxiety, depression, bad mood, mood swings, all kinds of things, plus tiredness.”
Gill has teamed up with Cadogan, a Belmond hotel in London, to create a special service aimed at guests with sleep problems called Sleep Concierge.
The service includes a sleep-inducing meditation recording, a pillow menu with options to accommodate guests who prefer to sleep on their back or side, the option of a weighted blanket, a pre-sleep tea developed specifically for the service and a scented pillow. fog.
“Different things work for different people at different stages of their life,” Gill says of the different elements offered within the service.
“We have tried to stack the odds in our favor. If you combine all of those things, I would say there is a greater chance of having better quality sleep. But I don’t think there is one size fits all.”
The types of sleep-focused programs and/or retreats offered by hotels and resorts also tend to vary, and different properties approach the concept in different ways.
Luxury hotel brand Six Senses offers a variety of full sleep programs, ranging from three to seven days or more, across a number of its properties, while Brown's Hotel, a Rocco Forte hotel in Mayfair, London, recently launched ' Forte Winks', a two-night experience created especially to help guests “have a peaceful night's sleep.”
“Sleep is very important and we noticed that there was a trend in sleep tourism and well-being in general, after confinements and Covid,” explains Daniela Moore, senior public relations manager of the Rocco Forte Hotels group.
“That's why we wanted to take the opportunity to showcase Brown's as a hotel that cares about giving you the best night's sleep possible.”
For Gill, the emergence of more and more such experiences is a sign that the “narrative of staying up to get things done” is being challenged and people are starting to have a deeper understanding of how important sleep is.
But can short-term sleep-focused travel experiences really have a long-term impact on a person's overall sleep?
According to Dr. Robbins, travel experiences focused on “healthy sleep strategies” that aim to provide guests with the tools they need to improve their sleep can be enormously beneficial, as long as a credentialed medical or scientific expert is involved in some way to help determine if something else may be at play.
“If someone comes to one of these retreats and doesn't see any progress, it could be because they have an untreated sleep disorder,” he explains, pointing to conditions such as sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, or insomnia as possible examples. .
“That's why it's vitally important to make sure hotels partner with scientists and medical professionals who can carefully deliver these strategies.”
Mandarin Oriental, Geneva has gone a step further by partnering with CENAS, a private medical sleep clinic in Switzerland, to host a three-day program that studies guests' sleep patterns to identify potential sleep disorders.
Although most 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 sense of each level,” he adds, noting that “it doesn't cost anything to leave a pair of earplugs next to the nightstand.”
As sleep tourism continues to grow, Dr. Robbins says she hopes to see “who really continues to pioneer and think creatively in this space,” emphasizing that there are countless avenues that have yet to be fully explored when it comes to travel and the science of sleep.
“The idea that traveling rejuvenates you and allows you to return home refreshed and refreshed is a really exciting proposition,” he adds.
Top image credit: Rocco Forte Hotels
