Travel hacks make life on the road run more smoothly, which is great news for those who travel frequently for work or relaxation. Fortunately, flight attendants and pilots, who spend countless hours flying and in hotels turn to social media to advise others. For instance, a pilot shared something he always does to ensure he gets better sleep. Travel Hack from a Pilot Pilot Ron Wagner shared on Quora a travel hack that can help people struggling with sleep disorientation. Sleep disorientation is common in people who travel for work, or often sleep in new places, as they may wake up and forget where they are. Wagner explains a travel hack he uses to combat this issue.Wagner’s helpful travel hack is to sleep with the bathroom light on when you stay at hotels, or new places because having a light on will help you see more clearly in the dark of night. This will help you acclimate to your surroundings and, hopefully, prevent confusion or panic. The Pilot’s Explanation

Although sleep disorientation isn’t an official medical term, Very Well Health describes something similar, confusional arousal. Around 20% of adults and children experience some form of confusional arousal, which often happens during the transition from the deepest stage of sleep, to waking up. The cause is thought to be related to brain function because “different regions of the brain fail to fully communicate with each other,” according to VWH. “As a result, some parts of the sleeper’s brain stay asleep while others suddenly awake.”

Recognizing Sleep Disorientation

Symptoms include:
Confusion or disorientation.
Aggression
Staring off into space without saying anything.
Appearing to be “looking through you”
Confused or slurred speech
While seemingly terrifying, confusional arousal comes in short episodes, around 10 minutes, explains VWH.

Wagner shared the travel on Quora. Although it’s unclear how reputable the information on Quora is, the forum was designed for people to “gain and share knowledge.” Either way, Wagner’s expertise as a pilot holds merit and can be invaluable for staving off confusion in a new place. Wagner isn’t the only airline employee sharing valuable travel hacks. In contrast, advice ranges from ensuring a smooth flight and being prepared in case plans change to how to pack efficiently. Here are some other helpful travel tips to reduce stress while traveling.

1. Hold onto Valuables

Never put anything you’re not okay with losing in your checked bag. This could be monetarily or sentimentally valuable or important documents like your passport. Either way, it’s a bad idea to leave someone else responsible for something irreplaceable, as not everyone will treat your belongings with the same care you might use.

2. Have a Financial Cushion
Currency from different countries.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Things tend to go wrong when traveling, as such, it’s a good idea to have an additional budget set aside with a few hundred dollars in case you need to book a new hotel last minute or eat because your flight has been delayed.