Do you know what one of my favourite things is about going on holiday? Afternoon naps.

There’s nothing like pounding the pavement while on a city break, going from one landmark to another and then retiring to your bed for a dreamy afternoon snooze. Or being on a relaxing beach, catching some rays and accidentally dozing off in the sun (with adequate sun protection of course).

Getting the rest and sleep we need on holiday can be a truly restorative experience, but now people are beginning to take it one step further by going on holidays specifically focused on, you guessed it, sleep.

According to Martin Seeley, CEO and sleep expert at MattressNextDay, the number of people googling ‘sleep retreats’ has increased by 1,100% in the past month alone, proving that sleep-focused holidays are gaining more momentum within the travel industry.

With this in mind, we spoke to Seeley and Theresa Schnorbach, sleep scientist from Emma – The Sleep Company, about why more people are choosing to go on sleep retreats, what the benefits of going on one are, and what to expect should you decide to go on one.

What is a sleep retreat?

If getting more sleep is on your agenda for 2023, then a sleep retreat might be just what you need, according to Seeley.

“Sleep retreats are all-inclusive packages that focus on improving your sleep. They’re designed to provide everything you need for an optimal slumber, which improves your overall wellbeing by making you feel more rested, less stressed and more energised,” he says.

Seeley says sleep retreats allow people to focus solely on getting the best possible rest for their body and mind. “You’ll be taught how to manage stress, take care of yourself, and you’ll also be taught breathing and meditation techniques that help you relax, therefore reducing your cortisol levels (otherwise known as your stress hormone), which makes it easier for you to fall asleep.”

Guests often get taught how to get more restorative sleep (aka deep sleep), which is essential for your body and brain to function properly.

“Your pre-sleeping and the post-sleeping pattern will also be analysed, such as your habits before you fall asleep and how you feel and act once you are awake,” says Seeley

“After assessing this, the sleep doctors will then recommend better habits to implement to make it easier for you to trial them during the sleep retreat.”

How could going on a sleep retreat positively benefit someone’s day-to-day life?

A 2022 Need for Sleep study found one in seven (14%) Brits survive on dangerously low levels of sleep a night, at under five hours. And with poor sleep closely linked to conditions like dementia and diabetes, getting a good amount of sleep can have numerous benefits to someone’s day-to-day life. 

A sleep retreat can act as a reset, giving you the tools, the space and the time to get restorative sleep,” says Schnorbach. “These experiences can also give you the chance to check in with yourself and your sleep habits, and examine why you might be failing to get quality rest, while giving you the space and time to think about strategies for getting better sleep.

Why is sleep tourism currently on the rise?

“With more and more of us struggling with sleep, sleep-focused retreats and hotels have been popping up aiming to help people prioritise their sleep and improve the rest they get,” says Schnorbach.“In fact, one study showed that travelling could help to balance out the number of hours slept.”

The sleep scientist says the reason we tend to sleep better on holiday can be put down to the relaxation we associate with time away from our home and work lives. “Much about our daily lives can actually trigger the body’s fight or flight response, making it difficult to wind down in the evenings for rest,” she says.

“Cortisol, our primary stress hormone, helps to keep us awake, so increased levels of this hormone will make sleep more difficult.

“Caffeine and the light emitted from our tech can all disrupt the necessary processes our bodies go through to prepare for sleep. Holidays, however, often provide respite from these stressors, allowing our bodies to relax more and giving us better quality sleep as a result.”

How accessible it is for people to go on sleep retreats?

Sleep retreats can be an incredible experience, but they can also be expensive. “For example, a sleep retreat in the UK at Lucknam Park costs £462 per night, with a minimum of two nights required,” says Seeley. “Or if you were to go to a sleep retreat in Europe, a seven-day sleep recovery programme at the SHA Wellness Clinic in Valencia, Spain, starts at €4,000 (£3,516); however, that doesn’t include flights.”

How can one recreate a sleep retreat at home?

Whilst sleep retreats are expensive, the good news is that there are several ways to get the benefits of a sleep retreat at home according to Seeley and Schnorbach.

“Sleep retreats may not be accessible or affordable for everyone but you help create that ‘sleep retreat’ feeling every day by looking at your sleep hygiene,” says Schnorbach. “This refers to a set of behavioural and environmental recommendations used to promote sleep.

“Your sleep environment should be dark and cool, your bed and bedding should be comfortable and support proper spinal alignment, and you should try to take time to wind down before sleep such as by reading a book or having a bath. By paying attention to these factors and recognising your own sleep needs, you will be able to make daily choices that will help promote that ‘sleep retreat’ feeling at home.”

Schnorbach also advises regular ‘check-ins’ with yourself. “Getting better sleep in the long term is really about consistency; sticking to a sleep schedule is the foundation of quality rest. By sticking to a routine your body will learn when sleep is due and prepare itself accordingly by producing the hormones that aid your sleep.”

Images: Getty