The excitement that comes with heading on holiday is enough to keep anyone awake, but there is nothing better than arriving at your destination feeling refreshed and ready to explore. Here, we share some tips on how to sleep well on a ferry so that you can truly relax on your overnight crossing from Hull to Rotterdam or Zeebrugge.
1. Embrace natural sunlight
It has been found that getting plenty of natural sunlight during the day means that you sleep better at night, and the sleep that you get will be better quality too. With this in mind, try to enjoy some time out on deck before the sun goes down, or grab a window seat so that you can make the most of both the natural light and the sea views before night sets in.
Research also shows that exposure to blue light, which is emitted from electronic devices, should be avoided during the hour before you go to sleep as this light makes your body think that it is daytime. This means that you will find it harder to switch off, and your sleep may be disrupted too. To combat this, turn off your phone, tablet, or laptop an hour before you go to bed, and enjoy some onboard entertainment instead.
2. Prepare your cabin
When you sail on the North Sea with us, one of our Standard cabins will be included in the price of your ticket, but you can choose to upgrade this if you would prefer a cabin which boasts a few extra luxuries and a bit more space.
People have been found to sleep better when their bedroom is tidy, so make use of your cabin’s wardrobe space and ensure that all of your belongings are out of sight so that you find it easy to relax. Don’t forget to close the blind before you get into bed too, as a dark room offers far better sleep quality than one filled with light.
3. Eat and drink sensibly
To ensure that you sleep well on a ferry, try not to drink caffeine in the hours leading up to bedtime. Caffeinated drinks make it difficult to relax and will make you feel energised when you should be unwinding, so opt for a decaf alternative instead. We serve a whole range of drinks on board, so you are certain to find one that you like which won’t disrupt your sleep.
Eating a large meal late in the day can also keep you awake and make it hard to drift off, so try to schedule your dinner early in the evening so that you have time to enjoy the experience and savour our delicious dishes without affecting your sleep. Our onboard restaurants are open from 18:30.
4. Make time to unwind
One of the best things to do in order to sleep well on a ferry is to make time to unwind for an hour or so before you shut your eyes. Listening to calming music, reading a book, or doing some gentle yoga stretches are all great ways to achieve this, and there are reading lights in the cabin which will help to create a calming atmosphere.
You might also like to have a warm shower in your en suite before you get into bed which is sure to relax you, or perhaps simply sit by the window and watch the waves go by which is a truly comforting experience.
We hope that these tips for how to sleep well on a ferry help you to drift off with ease the next time that you sail across the North Sea with us, and do check out our tips for mindful travel to make your trip even more relaxing too.
