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No matter how comfortable a hotel mattress is, traveler's insomnia will creep in at night to ruin what is supposed to be a great vacation. Imagine trying to enjoy a tour around a new city when you have not gotten enough sleep - that's not something to look forward to.

Traveler's insomnia is a problem that even frequent travelers experience. It typically lasts only on the first night of arrival to a travel destination, which is why some call it the "first night effect." It is said to be due to several reasons, including jet lag, disruption of sleeping patterns, immersion in a new environment and other psychological factors like worrying about safety or adjusting to a new setting. 

It is a common problem, but it should not ruin the entire trip. Here are some ways to help you fall asleep better when traveling.

Plan ahead

Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep Medical Director Charlene Gamaldo advises travelers to sleep strategically. This means that planning before traveling includes adjusting a person's sleep schedule. When traveling to a place with a different time zone, planning in terms of sleep schedule means sleeping one hour earlier or later than their normal bedtime, depending on the destination, a few days before the trip. Travelers can adjust their bedtime one hour each day before the trip. 

Stay active during the trip

Assistant professor and sleep science expert Dr. Benjamin Smarr explains that the purpose of sleeping is to get the body refreshed. This is why falling asleep becomes difficult when the body has not moved a lot during the day, and it has not generated much sleep pressure to tell the brain that it needs to sleep. When traveling, physically active individuals usually sacrifice their fitness routines, but this does not mean they should stop being active altogether. They can still do this by engaging in physically stimulating tourism activities like walking city tours, hiking and others.