The real reason hotel sleep hits different — and how you can copy it at home

Maybe it's the blackout curtains. Maybe it's the extra-fluffy pillows . Or maybe it's because there aren't piles of laundry in plain view across the room. Whatever the reason, many of us sleep better in hotels than we do at home. It's one of those universal mysteries.

Most people might expect the opposite, says Saema Tahir , MD, an NYC-based quadruple board‑certified sleep medicine physician, since our brains are wired to stay a little more alert in unfamiliar places. But that unfamiliarity can actually be an advantage, too.

"A hotel bed carries none of that history," explains Liz Ross — a licensed clinical psychologist, insomnia specialist and the founder and clinical director of The Coping Resource Center in Houston . "It's a clean slate, with no learned associations and no cues reminding you of your to-do list."

Below, experts share exactly what hotels are getting right when it comes to the sleeping environment — and ways to emulate this in your own bedroom.

►Related: How to get better sleep: 10 tips for the bedtime routine of your dreams

You get to leave some mental baggage at home

Let's be honest: Unless you're on a hectic work trip, traveling usually means getting a break from some of the responsibilities that keep you up at night.

"A lot of people sleep better in hotels because they're away from their normal stressors," Harris tells 10BEST. It's a whole lot easier to fall asleep when you reduce the mental load that often follows you into bed.

"The biggest difference may simply be psychological distance from daily life," adds Laura Bojarskaite , a neuroscientist and sleep researcher at University of Oslo. "Good sleep isn't only about what's in your bedroom — it's also about what's on your mind."

It's a little more difficult to be mentally off duty at home, but Ross says having a deliberate wind-down routine before bed can help to establish some psychological boundaries.

Hotel rooms are really, really dark

According to Shelby Harris , MD, a board-certified clinical psychologist and Project Sleep advisory board member who specializes in behavioral sleep medicine, darkness plays one of the most important roles in getting quality sleep.

Light exposure can interfere with the body's natural sleep signals and signal to your brain that it's time to be alert and active, explains Angela Holliday-Bell, MD, a board-certified physician, certified sleep specialist, and founder of The Solution is Sleep . She notes that hotels tend to use thick blackout curtains, which help create a less stimulating environment.

"Blackout curtains overlap the window frame so no light leaks through the edges," adds Ross. "Lighting is layered and low, with warm bedside lamps instead of bright overhead light, which supports the natural release of melatonin in the evening."

If you don't feel like investing in blackout curtains, an eye mask can go a long way in blocking out excess light so you can get deeper rest.

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They keep you cooler

Ever noticed how hotel rooms tend to feel colder than your home? They're often set to lower default temperatures — and according to experts, this can benefit your sleep in a big way.

"This helps the body's natural overnight drop in core temperature, one of the strongest biological signals for sleep," Bojarskaite tells 10BEST.

At home, Bojarskaite recommends setting the thermostat to around the mid-60s.

Holliday-Bell says bedding can play a role, too.

"Breathable bedding matters because sheets and blankets that trap too much heat can make sleep more restless," she explains. "Hotels also tend to layer lighter bedding, allowing sleepers to adjust their covers according to temperature rather than relying on one heavy comforter."

At home, Bojarskaite recommends setting the thermostat to around the mid-60s.

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They protect you from unpredictable noise

Don't underestimate the impact of noise control, either.

"The steady hum of hotel air conditioning masks the unpredictable sounds that actually wake us," says Ross.

Bojarskaite points out that unexpected sounds — say, a cat scratching at the door or a floorboard creak from the room above — can interrupt your sleep even when they don't fully wake you.

According to Holliday-Bell, hotels also use clever design features to dampen or absorb sound, like heavy doors, upholstered furniture, and carpeting. Some properties even have sound-blocking walls and windows.

There's no need to invest thousands into soundproofing your bedroom, though — less expensive solutions to consider include a sound machine or a fan for white noise, or noise-reducing earplugs.

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There's less stuff competing for your attention

"Hotel rooms are clean and free of the piles of laundry or unfinished projects sitting around your house," says Tahir. "So the mattress helps, but a calm, uncluttered room is doing just as much."

There are a number of ways in which hotels intentionally reduce stimulation, says Bojarskaite, like a neutral color palette and minimalist layout.

"Individually these choices seem small, but together they create an environment that tells the brain it's safe to relax," she explains.

Experts agree: one of the easiest ways to mimic this environment in your own bedroom is by removing paperwork, laundry piles, and other reminders of unfinished tasks.

Hotel bedrooms have one job: sleep

Many people have conditioned their brains to associate the bedroom with just about everything except sleep, explains Ross: checking Instagram, binge-watching a show, snacking, answering emails, or simply lying awake spiralling about whether they'll be able to get enough rest. Over time, all that scrolling, working, and worrying in bed can teach your brain to associate your bed with wakefulness rather than sleep.

A hotel bed doesn't carry those same associations, says Harris — they're designed with one purpose: rest.

The mistake Harris sees at home? Treating the bedroom like an office and entertainment center.

Bojarskaite recommends keeping laptops and other reminders of work out of the bedroom — and avoiding using your phone in bed.

"Protect the bed the way a hotel does: the bed is for sleep and intimacy only," adds Ross.

So, is it actually the fancy hotel mattress?

The mattress gets a lot of the credit, but it's really only one part of the equation, says Harris.

"The combination of less stress, fewer responsibilities, and a sleep-friendly environment often matters more," she tells 10BEST. "A luxury mattress is nice, but it can't overcome a room that's too hot, bright, or noisy."

That's not to say mattresses don't matter, of course. According to Holliday-Bell, a comfier bed can certainly make a difference, but just don't expect that factor alone to guarantee the kind of sleep you'd get at a hotel.

"In a hotel, nobody can hand you a chore, the dishes aren't yours, and there is a built-in boundary between you and your responsibilities," adds Ross. "That mental offloading lowers the cognitive arousal that keeps so many people awake, and it's genuinely hard to manufacture at home."

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This article originally appeared on 10Best.com: The real reason hotel sleep hits different — and how you can copy it at home