.svg){kind=small}
There is no true wellness without great sleep. As a board-certified sleep specialist, I’ve worked for years with hospitality professionals to help them better meet their guests’ sleep needs. These are five of the most important steps I recommend:
Let guests customize their sleep equipment. Adjustable mattresses and customizable mattress toppers help meet individual preferences for firmness, comfort, and support. A ‘pillow, topper, and duvet menu’ enables guests to select the equipment that suits their sleep posture, sleep position, and individual needs for head and neck support.
Think beyond the bedroom. Cool, quiet, and dark is the mantra for a sleep-friendly bedroom. But what’s beyond the bedroom door matters too. Do bathrooms have a dim-light option for overnight trips? Do sleeping zones have designated and enforced ‘quiet hours’ to protect everyone’s sleep?
Redefine ‘sleep essentials’. Go beyond eye masks and earplugs. Invite guests to include sleep-promoting aromatherapy and guided sleep meditation to their evening ritual. Include, and highlight, sleep-friendly food and drink on your evening and room-service menus.
Offer personalized sleep support. Depending on your guests’ travel, they’ll have different needs for adjusting their circadian sleep-wake rhythms to align with your destination. (Beyond jet lag, most will be sleep-deprived and out-of-sync with their sleep rhythms before they hit the road.) Personalized recommendations for eating, napping, activity, and light exposure will set them up for optimal sleep throughout their stay.
Educate your team about sleep. A staff deeply knowledgeable about sleep is a rare and invaluable resource. Consult with a sleep specialist about how to integrate sleep know-how into every element of your guests’ experience.
By Michael J. Breus, PhD
The Sleep Doctor
www.thesleepdoctor.com
