Working as a traveling nurse can be an exciting career. Not only do you get to meet and interact with new people all the time, but you also get to experience new places and cultures. However, one of the aspects that can be tricky to adapt to is getting a good night’s rest. With the long hours, constant traveling, and changes in time zones, it can be difficult to get quality shut-eye at night. Instead of counting sheep, try these five recommendations to help you sleep better as a traveling nurse.
1. Get a Sufficient Mineral Intake
Sufficient vitamin and internal intake are essential to fuel your body. It is also essential to get a good night’s rest. Magnesium, theanine, and calcium are all vitamins that cause your brain to produce chemicals that help you sleep. Take a daily multivitamin, and talk to your doctor to see if there are any deficiencies that you should take an extra capsule for. Adding a supplemental program to your routine, such as THRIVE by Le-Vel, can also help ensure your body is fueled properly to allow you to rest. Le-Vel Thrive reviews state the side effects include more energy, weight management, and overall health support.
2. Take Advantage of Flights
When you are stuck in an airplane for a few hours, your available activities are limited. If you pulled some long nights recently or know there are some ahead, take advantage of this time by taking a nap. Bring a pair of noise-canceling headphones to use on the plane. If you like music, put on a calming playlist. Otherwise, simply use the headphones to cancel out the background noise. Put on a sleep mask to create a dark setting. Be sure to ask the flight attendant not to wake you during the flight.
3. Use a Sleep Aid
Perhaps you struggle to fall asleep naturally or the change in time zones confuses your body. Either way, sleep aids are a fantastic option for helping you get to sleep. They are typically a capsule, gummy or dissolvable pill taken before bed. Diphenhydramine, the popular ingredient in many sleep aids, is an antihistamine that also counters insomnia.
If you want a more natural option, diffuse essential oils by your bed. There are a variety of diffusers available on the market, many in a convenient travel size. You can purchase basic oils at the store or get higher-quality brands directly from their websites. Cedarwood, lavender, and chamomile are all great oil options for helping you get shut-eye. Some companies even sell oil mixtures specifically tailored to help you sleep.
If you have a limited amount of space in your suitcase, bring an essential oil spray instead. A few spritzes on your pillowcase can help you relax and get some quality rest.
4. Turn On a White Noise Machine
Maybe you often stay at hotels when you travel, where there can be loud guests or workers in the hallways. Perhaps some calming background noise simply helps you sleep better. Either way, a white noise machine is a wonderful option for helping you sleep better. They are inexpensive, easy to travel with, and usually come with a few different sound options, such as a heartbeat, rainforest, or thunderstorm. If a basic version will do or you are trying to save on space, look for a white noise app on your phone. There should be a few options for purchase or even for free.
5. Bring Your Pillow and Blanket
Constantly traveling can leave you missing the comforts of home. Bringing some of those comforts with you can make the nights easier. If you have a favorite blanket from home, pack it and use it at night. Not all pillows are built equally, so you may find that constantly switching pillows makes it challenging to sleep. To avoid a hotel or apartment with a lousy pillow, bring yours along when you travel.
Conclusion
While getting a good night’s rest may be more difficult as a traveling nurse, taking a few proactive steps can make the process much easier. Try these tips to help you get a better night’s rest, no matter where you are staying.
We hope you found these tips for travel nurses to sleep better helpful. Do you have any tips you would like to share with fellow travel nurses to help them sleep better? Comment them below.
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