You can be exhausted after a long day, find a comfortable bed and still struggle to sleep when you are away from home. Whether it is a hotel room, a relative’s house or an unfamiliar bedroom, the first night often feels different.
Researchers say this is known as the “first-night effect,” when the brain remains unusually alert as it adjusts to unfamiliar surroundings.
The phenomenon can affect people sleeping in hotels, unfamiliar homes or other new settings. Researchers say the brain may need time to adjust to unfamiliar sounds, lighting, temperature and other environmental cues, which can make sleep lighter and lead to more frequent awakenings.
Why does the brain stay alert?
Sleep researchers describe the first-night effect as an adaptation response in which the brain continues monitoring its surroundings while becoming familiar with a new environment.
Instead of fully settling into deep sleep, part of the brain may remain more responsive to unexpected sounds and other changes.
Research has suggested that the brain may not enter equally deep sleep across both sides during the first night in an unfamiliar setting. One side can remain relatively more alert, helping the sleeper respond to potential disturbances.
This response may have an evolutionary explanation. From a survival perspective, sleeping in an unfamiliar environment could once have carried greater risks, making it useful for the brain to remain cautious until the surroundings appeared safe.
How much can sleep change?
The effect varies from person to person, and some people may not notice it at all. Sleep experts say the first night in a new environment can sometimes result in less sleep and reduced sleep quality.
Some people may sleep for several hours but wake feeling as though they were awake most of the night. Frequent brief awakenings can make sleep feel less restful even when the total amount of sleep is greater than the person realizes.
Children and older adults may notice it more
Age can also influence how strongly people respond to a new sleeping environment. Children and adolescents may be more sensitive to changes in their surroundings, while older adults can also notice disruptions in their usual sleep patterns.
Younger adults may experience fewer noticeable effects, although the response differs widely among individuals.
The environment is not the only factor
The first-night effect is not necessarily the sole reason someone sleeps poorly away from home. Travel fatigue, changes in daily routines, unfamiliar mattresses or pillows, room temperature, bright lights and outside noise can all interfere with sleep.
Travel can also disrupt the body’s internal clock, particularly when sleeping and waking times change significantly. Social situations can play a role as well. Staying with relatives or friends may create excitement, anxiety or a different routine that makes it harder to relax.
Some people sleep better away from home
Not everyone experiences the first-night effect negatively. Some people may actually sleep better in a new place, particularly after a long and tiring journey.
For people who regularly experience stress or poor sleep at home, a change of environment can sometimes provide temporary relief from familiar sources of tension. In such cases, a new setting may feel more relaxing rather than disruptive.
Worrying about sleep can make it harder
For some people, anxiety about sleeping in a new place can become part of the problem. Going to bed while thinking, “I won’t be able to sleep here,” can increase alertness and make relaxation more difficult.
Sleep-related worry can create a cycle in which a person becomes increasingly focused on whether they are falling asleep instead of allowing the body to relax naturally.
How to sleep better in a new place
Maintaining a familiar sleep schedule can help the body adjust to a new environment. Keeping the room dark, quiet and comfortably cool can also make it easier to settle down.
Experts generally recommend reducing phone, laptop and other screen use before bedtime. Rather than immediately trying to sleep after arriving somewhere new, taking some time to relax can give the brain an opportunity to become familiar with its surroundings.
Bringing a familiar pillow, blanket or another comforting item may also make a new room feel more familiar. Reading, listening to calm music or following another relaxing bedtime routine can help signal that it is time to sleep.
Most importantly, one restless night is usually not a reason for alarm. The brain often becomes more comfortable with a new environment after the first night, allowing sleep to return to its normal pattern.
So, if you find yourself awake more often than usual the next time you sleep in a hotel or unfamiliar home, your brain may simply be taking extra time to decide that the new surroundings are safe enough for it to fully switch off.
