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Finally, a vacay less about FOMO and more about finally missing out.
I’ll sleep when I’m dead: So goes the mantra of movers and shakers, partiers (s/o Barstool) and generations past—see Mama Ann Bailey’s steadfast advice. But a dreamy emerging travel trend is hitting snooze on overworking and overpartying—and prioritizing wellness while on vacay.
Enter sleep tourism, the tranquil new trend spotlighting the difference between traveling and vacationing. With an explicit goal of an improved snooze schedule, sleep tourism is less about seeing and doing, and more about tucking in and tuckering out.
If a vacay without a packed morning-to-night itinerary sounds fringe or foreign (or like wasted time and money), research begs to differ. A 2024 Gallup poll found Americans are getting less sleep than they need and reporting higher stress levels. To boot, less shut-eye causes more stress—and more stress causes less sleep… unlocking a never-ending (literal) nightmare cycle and contributing to one-third of adults not getting enough Z’s.
Combatting widespread sleep deprivation and excessive coffee reliance, hotels and resorts are leveling up their slumber-party factor. Colorado’s The Springs Resort & Spa in Pagosa Springs proves soaking in a natural hot spring isn’t just a luxury—it’s science-backed self-care. Their signature sleep program taps into the region’s hydrothermal magic to help guests drift off faster, stay asleep longer and wake up actually rested. Turns out, slipping into 100-degree waters under the stars might be the most soothing sleep aid of all.
Serving up similar reboots, Arizona’s Castle Hot Springs offers a Soak & Slumber package touting a private hike, massage and sleep kit, while Aman New York provides a team of wellness experts to assess and polish your sleep habits via a diagnostic device—plus sound-healing breathwork, guided yoga, circadian-friendly tweaks and takeaways to extend the serenity post-vacay. So, maybe still a full itinerary, but a restful one.
While having no plans sans rotting in bed all day may feel like a dream and the solution to your tired troubles, sleep tourism is about optimizing your sleep schedule—not getting as much pillow time as possible. Apologies to anyone envisioning of wasting the day away, but movement is essential to getting rest. Indulging in a soundbath with white or brown noise, popping in for a facial and soaking in a long bath, or Zenning out in yoga class are all sleep vacay-friendly pursuits meant to get you out of bed—but not out of your relax-and-reset state of mind.
If you aren’t entirely ready to kick back, wind down and part ways with a jam-packed vacay itinerary and the grim age-old mantra, start small—take an extra hour a day to relax, or set a goal of at least a few good nights’ rest. Bottom line: The main priority on vacay is your well-being, and hopefully when it’s time to leave, you can take new habits back to reality with you. Sweet dreams.
SLEEPING IN
Wanna skip the terminal stress and suitcase Tetris? Home turf hits different. Save your pennies and pull out the PTO for a little R&R—and DIY a sleep staycation instead. Think of it as a pillowcation, where out-of-office means lights out. Translation: Prioritize sleep and indulge in DIY sleepytime escapades—mix up a sleepy girl mocktail, flow through an evening yoga sesh and hit the sack early with an ambiance of white noise. Your body—and your wallet—will thank you.
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