How much sleep do you get at night? Not enough?

How much do you get each night when you travel?

The numbers are a little scary, because your sleep patterns are disrupted.

I average about four hours of sleep each night at home.

On the road, it’s about six hours, and that disrupts my cycle. Why?

Hotel maids always close the curtains and drapes in my room.

A darkened room almost always means I’ll sleep longer.

Conversely, if you like to sleep in a darkened room, keep it that way.

Opening the curtains and letting the light in will disrupt you just as much.

That could be more dangerous than getting less sleep.

The key—at least for me—is not to change your patterns, the time of day when you normally sleep, or the light in the room.

Then drink at least one bottle of water just before you go to bed, especially when you travel.

Dehydration is the worst disruptor of cycles, and this will help.

For more information about health and travel, check out:

• How Lack of Sleep Can Affect Your Diet
• The Perils of Sitting Down for Long Periods of Time
• The Importance of Going on Vacation

Keep reading for more travel tips.