Getting a Good Night's Sleep While Traveling

When people travel a lot it can be hard to get a good night's sleep.

Sherry Torkos is a pharmacist and author who has written on diets, travel and lifestyle.

"You're changing time zones, you're eating at different times, maybe you're sleeping in a hotel room, listening to noise, you have lights," she said.

These things can disrupt our sleep cycles, making rest hard to come by.

But there are things frequent travelers, as well as stay-at-homers, can do to help.

First off, experts say avoid caffeine late in the day.

Torkos also says, "Don't eat a big meal before you go to sleep because all of your body's processes are going to go towards digestion. You're not going to feel calm and relaxed and you can have a bit of a belly-ache which might affect your ability to fall asleep."

If you're hungry before bed, grab a light snack with a little bit of protein and complex whole grains.

"Don't use alcohol as a sleep aid. Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but if you have alcohol it might cause night time wakening," said Torkos.

If you can't sleep, Torkos says to try to avoid the distracting devices we all carry around.

So don't check cell phone messages, or go online to work which can amp you up.

If you turn on the television, watch something that's relaxing, or try meditating.