This week the internet has been abuzz with the story of a bloke who set up his hammock in the airport and therefore had a much better sleep than all those regular people who were trying to sleep in those uncomfortable airport seating areas. But is this really a wise thing to do? Carry a hammock with you ‘just in case’?
No of course not, it’s crazy. If he was carrying the hammock as part of his essential travel gear – if he was camping for example – then that’s okay, but I wouldn’t advise anyone to travel with a hammock especially to set it up in the airport!
People who are camping do have a certain advantage when airport delays and layovers occur. If you’ve got a handy sleeping bag in your hand luggage then that’s just great – you can stretch out on the airport floor and enjoy a good nap. But what about the rest of us?
You’ve heard the phrase that practise makes perfect? Well, there’s nothing wrong with practising sleeping in awkward (non-comfy-bed) places if you’re planning to travel extensively. After all, you could find that you need to sleep:
- On long-haul flights
- On long train journeys
- In waiting rooms
- In strange beds such as hostel bunk beds
- On night-time bus journeys such as a long Greyhound haul
- And of course, in hammocks…
When you’re still at home, there’s nothing wrong with practising your sleeping habits to acclimatise yourself for when you’re on your trip. The four essentials are:
- Being comfortable (this includes not being bothered by your bladder or bowel!)
- Enjoying a temperature you’re happy with – it’s hard to sleep if you’re too hot or too cold
- Relaxing the parts of your body that we unconsciously tend to tense up
- Finding something to occupy your busy mind that’s innocuous
How are you going to deal with these issues? Will it be a good idea to equip yourself with a few items such as noise-cancelling headphones, an eye-mask, a lightweight blanket and an inflatable pillow?
Practice at home first. You’ll be surprised where and when you’ll be able to get a great sleep.
ARTICLE BY:
Jackie
JJ is originally from the UK and has lived in South Florida since 1994. She is the founder and editor of JAQUO Magazine. You can connect with her using the social media icons below.
Truly, it doesn’t work for me!