To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub. –Shakespeare

There are two things that bond the stylistically diverse and geographically scattered group of internationally traveling djs: 1) we don’t get enough sleep, and 2) we all want more of it. The problem is, our jobs are so uniquely sleep-challenged that none of the normal tips to help with getting a good night’s rest are practical or even possible to follow. Sleep truly is bliss and in this article I will share some of my personal experiences in order to help my fellow djs maximize their sleep. First, let’s go through these 10 tips for better sleep from the Mayo Clinic:

1. Go to bed and get up at about the same time every day, even on weekends. One of the major challenges djs face in trying to get sleep is the sheer craziness of our schedules. We show up to work at midnight and are often up until well after the sun comes up (or later). We have to be “up” for the gig – not just awake, but the life of the party. The social aspect of drinking/partying and after parties are a necessary part of the job but these add their own factors which create additional pressures on our precious sleep time. Like many djs, I like “staying up” as much as I like sleep, however it is important to find a balance between these two opposites.
2. Don’t eat or drink large amounts before bedtime. If you are a dj and you drink, this one is out the window.
3. Avoid nicotine, caffeine and alcohol in the evening. Here, I am assuming “evening” means before you go to sleep but if you drink or smoke, this doesn’t make sense.
4. Exercise regularly. This, in fact, is the one tip on this list that you can follow, and I recommend you do. Exercising releases endorphins which keep your mood up and will make you more tired at the end of the day which should help when trying to fall asleep.
5. Make your bedroom cool, quiet, dark and comfortable. Does this apply to your mate’s guest bedroom in the middle of the day? Or your hotel room in Miami?
6. Sleep primarily at night. Yep, not gonna happen.
7. Choose a comfortable mattress and pillow. While when on tour I would love to always have the luxury of a Westin Heavenly Bed, it simply doesn’t work out that way.
8. Start a relaxing bedtime routine. Here are some of their suggestions: To prepare for sleep, try reading a light, entertaining book or magazine; listening to soft music; making simple preparations for the next day; a light bedtime snack, a cup of hot tea, or a glass of warm milk; hobbies such as knitting or jigsaw puzzles; listening to books on tape. Ahhh, that’s what I’ve been missing – a hobby!
9. Go to bed when you are tired and turn out the lights. Great, thanks for that info.
10. Use sleeping pills only as a last resort. Sleeping pills can be extremely helpful when trying to re-adjust your sleep schedule as well as helping to turn the party off. After a big gig I am often buzzing just from the excitement and sometimes a sleeping pill helps to wind me down. Nevertheless, any kind of sleeping pill can cause dependency so they should be taken in moderation and only when absolutely necessary. That said, I also like them for the plane on long haul flights as they help you maximize that time and be prepared for the next day.

Flying Club

Coming back from the Sonar festival in Barcelona last weekend, I was on the last flight of the day back to London Gatwick Airport and the plane was full of djs returning home after a long weekend of all day and all night parties. Many of these djs were personal friends and I spotted a few of them leaning against the window of the plane, floating off into a dreamlike state for what seemed like the first time in days. For the traveling dj, sometimes the plane is the only (and best) place to get some much needed kip, even if it is on a relatively short flight. On long haul flights, I always try to get as much sleep as possible. Not only does this help me to be more rested for my gig, but long flights are tedious – there are only so many romantic comedies I can watch and magazines I can read. Some people fire up their laptops and create entire albums on the plane but I am not one of them…my ideal 10 hour flight would be to fall asleep just after the meal and wake up to the sound of “Flight attendants, prepare for landing.” Here are some tips to sleep on long flights:

1. Upgrade to Business Class. If you have miles or upgrade certificates with a particular airline, use them on long haul flights to upgrade. Your overall experience will be much more pleasant and many airlines have full lay-flat seats so you can really relax. In business class you are often given a little hospitality pack with an eye mask and ear plugs. Take advantage of these perks.
2. Choose the right seat. If you can’t upgrade, choose an economy seat that gives you the best opportunity to get in the most comfortable position possible. Check and see what kind of plane you will be flying on and then check out http://www.seatguru.com/ then pick the best seat for that plane. I find that windows give you something to lean against (instead of drooling on the passenger next to you). Exit rows may have more legroom but often the seats don’t recline so keep that in mind. Non-exit row bulkhead economy seats are often ideal as they have more legroom, but then you can’t have anything on the floor during takeoff and landing. Bulkhead seats are often closest to the lavatories and allow some extra room to step over the passenger next to you if you have to use one mid-flight.
3. Create your own business class experience. If upgrading isn’t possible, bring ear plugs and an eye mask to shut out the noise and light on the plane. Get some moist towelettes to refresh you throughout the flight. Buy a large bottle of water so you don’t have to ask the flight attendants when you are thirsty. Remember, the air on planes is extremely dry and it just sucks the moisture from your skin so it is important to keep well hydrated. Wear comfortable clothes (I’ve even seen people change into pajamas) and remove your shoes for the flight. Before the flight, I usually I buy a newspaper, magazines and mints and get a plastic bag. Then I put everything I need for the whole flight in that bag and keep it next to me so I never have to get up.
4. Develop a flight routine. I always plan to sleep just after the meal service. Drinking red wine with the meal (along with a lot of water) seems to help me fall asleep. If I have a sleeping pill, I take it just when the meal is served so usually it kicks in just when I’m finished eating. Before the meal service, I put my blanket on and get my pillow ready so as soon as they clear my tray, I am usually out in no time. On short flights, even a little bit of sleep can help you feel refreshed. Get a window seat close to the front of the plane so you can board first and start napping. Even 20 minutes of sleep can give you a boost for the rest of the day.

Heavenly Bed

As mentioned before, not every hotel or sleeping situation while on tour can be the Westin, but there are a few things you can do to while staying in hotels: keep your room cool and as dark as possible; use your eye mask and ear plugs if it’s loud or during the day; use the hotel gym or pool or go for a run if you are having trouble sleeping; request late afternoon/evening flights and get late check out or even pay for an additional half-day (a lot of hotels will do this as long as you are out before their cleaning staff leaves for the day). While staying with friends, make sure they have a separate room with a door – we’ve all been in the situation where you exhausted and are staying on their couch and then people are still partying in the room you are supposed to sleep in at noon the next day. As a general rule, if I don’t know the promoter or the situation, I require a hotel.

REMnants

When back at home, or just off for a few days while on tour, this is the best time to try to catch up on sleep. It’s tough to just slip back into a regular sleep schedule but if you can at least get 5-6 hours at night (or more if possible) and augment that with a short 45 minute nap during the afternoon (I’m a huge fan of naps), that helps a lot to keep you well rested and prepared for the next weekend. Sleep is crucial, not only to help your body recover but to help your mind filter through all the day’s (and night’s) events. Going for days with little or no sleep breaks down your immune system and severely decreases mental and physical performance. The main goal is to give yourself enough time to get into REM sleep as this helps your body and mind recover. The first night you are back from being abroad, try as hard as you can to stay up until the time you would normally go to bed. Do not use caffeine to try to stay up and if you are exhausted then go to bed early. But, staying up until your normal time will help to get you back on schedule faster and avoid the problems with jet lag. As always, you should drink a lot of water – at least 1.5 liters per day. Try to eat at normal times and if you don’t have to go out, avoid drinking alcohol or large meals right before bed. If you have obliterated your body over the weekend, use mid-week days off to eat healthy, nutritious meals, drink loads of water, exercise, and get outside whenever possible. A 20 minute walk outside in the sun will give you valuable Vitamin D as well as create natural endorphins which will improve your mood as well as help to regulate your sleep patterns. While it may feel like you hardly ever see your own bed, invest in a good one. As you spend close to 1/3 of your life in bed, you want this to be as comfortable as possible. Have any other sleep tips for your fellow djs? Leave them in the comments below.