Have you heard of sleep tourism? At first it seemed to me like going away for the sole purpose of sleeping, which as someone who enjoys traveling it seemed silly to go through the trouble of flying or driving to a destination just for sleep. Digging more into what it's all about, I was surprised to learn that I've actually enjoyed the benefits of sleep tourism without realize I was participating in this trend. For instance, at some of the hotels I've stayed at in Mexico, I've been offered to select my pillow type (I go for the cooling gel pillow, which feels awesome after spending a day in the tropical air). I've also had the luxury of selecting a room spray with an essential oil blend designed to help me sleep better. I remember staying in a hotel in Philadelphia that had a Sleep Number mattress, which was a first for me. A room in Chicago also had an essential oil roller on the nightstand next to the bed. Even the hotel I ended up at in Los Angeles near the airport (because I missed my flight to Sacramento, which was the last one of the day) had a wonderfully comfortable mattress and pillow that was advertised in several places in the room.
The definition of sleep tourism seems to vary between sources, from literally traveling specifically to a destination to get better sleep to resorts who go the extra mile to provide their guests with excellent quality sleep. Some of these places seem to intentionally create a calm environment for deep sleep while others simply want their guests to rest well every night after a fun day of activities. It's wonderful to know that hosts are considering the importance of sleep for their guests, since that's one of the reasons for booking a room in the first place. However, it makes me wonder if sleep tourism is trending because people want to get away to get a good night's sleep or are travelers getting more discerning with the quality of the mattress and pillows offered. Either way, isn't the goal to sleep great? If that is the goal, why spend time and money flying someplace for that when one can get acupuncture?
Yes, acupuncture....because acupuncture has repeatedly been shown to improve the quality of sleep in many people. My patients often report that they sleep better after receiving an acupuncture treatment, even when sleep was not their primary reason for seeking acupuncture.
Though a comfortable bed is really important, addressing the root cause of sleep problems is essential. The Kidney Yin Deficiency that's often seen in patients who have difficulty falling asleep is addressed quite differently than the Liver Qi Stagnation or Liver Yang Rising that's seen in patients who struggle with staying asleep. Additionally, there are many other organ patterns of disharmony that may be occurring that hinder sleep, which can only be determined through an evaluation by an acupuncturist. Certainly it's nice to select a comfortable pillow, but is that pillow addressing the root cause of the sleep problems?
So before you hop on the sleep tourism trend, consider getting acupuncture if you'd like to improve the quality of your sleep. Then when you next travel, not only may you sleep better but you'll actually be able to enjoy your destination while you're awake.
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