How to Sleep Comfortably On an Overnight Train Ride
Why wouldn’t you want to step off your overnight train ride feeling chipper and all set for what you have planned? If you’ve never slept on a sleeper train before, then take the time to get acquainted with some of the most helpful tips around to help you reach sound, comfy slumber while you travel.
Pick the ideal carriage for you
Providing you can get the option, choosing the right carriage is like getting the seat you most prefer on a plane. Most people tend to opt for a compartment in the middle of a carriage is to one at either end; the reason being that it provides you with a trip that is smoother than if you were to be on an end carriage.
The other allures of getting the middle carriages are that you will typically be further away from doors constantly opening and closing, the toilets, and people gathering at either end. When it comes to the bed, the berth choice is really a matter of preference again; do you want a bottom berth, top berth, backwards-facing or forward-facing bed?
One thing to bear in mind is that, if you’re travelling abroad where it’s hotter, the lower berths will be cooler, which is known to aid sleep, and you’ll also prevent any potentially embarrassing falling out of bed moments too!
Control your temperature
Moving on and looking a little further into the point we just made about not being able to sleep in hot conditions, the biggest issue travellers have when it comes to sleeping on a train is the discomfort experienced from the temperature in their compartment.
The thing is, you will have to find some degree of compromise as the carriage isn’t going to be a private one, so you’ll have to consider the other passengers and vice versa.
If you’re really concerned about how the temperature will affect you, you can use these items to help you, particularly on older trains:
A gas meter key for opening locked windows
Tin foil to cover heating vents when there’s no lever to turn it down
For more up to date carriages that are fitted with air conditioning staff on board may well be able to set this at the ideal temp for all on the carriage.
Create your own comfort
One thing that will help you feel relaxed is having some kind of creature comforts from home that you associate with being relaxed and content. You might be a long way from home, but travelling with one of the best-rated pillows in 2018 overall that has your softest pillow case on it will help you find dreamland with far greater ease.
You may also want to consider an eye mask and earplugs as blocking out light and sound will help your brain transition to wind down and prepare you for bed much more smoothly.
What’s more, you may want to think about packing some sleep-friendly essential oils, such as lavender, ylang‑ylang, chamomile, or bergamot orange as you’ll no doubt encounter carriages and passengers in them that have an odour that isn’t too desirable or conducive to sleeping peacefully.
Dress to encourage bedtime bliss
Simply by changing into bedclothes, you’re actually more likely to find yourself in a better frame of mind for decent sleep; just as you would at home really. It’s going to be much easier to be comfortable and get to sleep if you’re wearing clothes that support your journey to the Land of Nod.
Pack yourself some clothes to slip on at night, think of layers so that you can take them off/put them on depending on the temperature. You know what you feel most comfy in, so go with that, and then take a tracksuit or something similar.
Make sure you have something to slip on to your feet as well or you’ll be nipping off to use the loo in your bare feet – not ideal!
Know how to navigate the train
You’ll find it a calmer sleeping experience if you know where things you might need on the train are, should you need them.
So, when you get on the train and you’ve dropped your belongings off, take some time to explore your train. For example, you may come across some facilities that are more to your taste than others, i.e. the toilets aren’t too disturbing!
It’s always a sound idea to wake up slightly earlier to beat the traffic to the wash facilities to avoid arriving at them before half of the passengers have used them and they’re not quite as fresh as they were.
In terms of safety, it’s advisable to know where the nearest exit is in case of an emergency too.
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