For event professionals, after a long day of meetings and conferences, it is important to catch a good night’s sleep. However, staying away from the comforts of home, time differences and a new environment disrupt regular sleep patterns, making restorative rest elusive.
According to a new global study commissioned by InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), four out of five travelers (80 percent) have trouble sleeping away from home. The study found that while travelers on an average get six hours and 30 minutes of sleep, business travelers, in particular, lose around 58 minutes of sleep each night, averaging to just five hours and 17 minutes of sleep.
More: How to Sleep While on The Road
Over two thirds (67 percent) stated they feel more tired when they are away from home. Almost half (47 percent) of travelers reported they listen to music and almost as many, (45 percent) stated they try watching TV to fall asleep. Different environment (44 percent), working late (35 percent) and unfamiliar noises (35 percent), were the reasons cited for lack of sleep.
Lighting the Way
As a result of the study, IHG in partnership with Healthe by Lighting Science launched a circadian lighting project to pilot to help travelers get a good night’s sleep when away from home. The new devices will be installed at all 16 IHG Hotels & Resorts brands, including Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and EVEN Hotels.
Crowne Plaza Atlanta Airport will be the first IHG property to install the JOURNI Mobile Task Light in their rooms. Since the spectrum and intensity of light exposure stimulate the brain directly, by signaling it to stay alert or relax before bedtime, guests at IHG properties can have control of light exposure to promote sleep. Guests can change the color of the lighting in rooms from the blue-enriched white spectrum of Healthe’s patented GoodDay technology used to boost energy and performance when awake, to the blue-depleted spectrum of the GoodNight technology for use in the evening to promote a more restful night’s sleep.
This dual-spectrum lighting is aimed at regulating the body’s circadian rhythm or 24-hour internal body clock, which is linked to critical biological functions such as sleep, body temperature, hormone levels and metabolism.
