Sleep tourism is the new way to travel

Sleep tourism is a fledgling industry, but its fundamental premise is laser-focused on one of recent history's most overlooked yet critically important public health issues: sleep.

Sleep tourism is a response to the profound dislocation of modern life that has driven so many of us to the edge of sanity and productivity, and to the doctors who barely have enough time to write sleep prescriptions. It's an adventure in horizontal travel, not vertical travel.

Rather than thriving on insomnia and barely surviving on a steady diet of prescription and over-the-counter sleep aids, these are the sleep-deprived seeking refuge in hotels designed specifically to enhance slumbers.

High-end hotels and resorts across the world have started to provide packages specifically designed to help guests get a good night's sleep. These end entail soundproof rooms, custom beds, blackout curtains, and white-noise machines. Some hotels offer sleep coaches and even the services of sleep therapists; others have gone so far as to provide special sleep-inducing spa treatments and in-room aromas to help their guests doze off.

Sleep tourism isn't just a wellness thing; it's a sign that people are taking rest seriously and valuing it even more these days. And why not? The CDC says that over one-third of us aren't getting enough shut-eye regularly. That sleep debt of ours is tied to all sorts of health problems, like anxiety, obesity, heart disease, and more. So, again, it's not surprising that folks are ready and willing to fork over some cash for an opportunity to truly wind down.

The allure of sleep tourism is its countercultural essence. In a society that adores the grind and the crazy course of life, to be the kind of person who opts for sleep, as in a common 'sleeping in' weekend, as a form of weekend retreat—that feels stealthily rebellious. It especially seems like a restorative path when juxtaposed against more conventional staycations and pathetic days spent in the half-life cycle of being awake, in which we, too, could be achieving something.

Some travel companies are now designing their entire itineraries around circadian rhythms. This means the opposite of red-eye flights, nonsensical schedules, and crammed itineraries. It means, instead, slow mornings, mindful movement, and real rest.

With the world now aware of the benefits of quality sleep, it follows that the most prized takeaway from any trip might be the simple act of sleeping soundly for a night.