This is a phenomenon that you have surely experienced in your life: often, the first night spent in a vacation spot or in a hotel is less restorative than those you usually spend in your cozy bed. Is this phenomenon really generalized? And how to explain it scientifically?
A “first night effect”
To learn more, researchers recruited a number of volunteers and subjected them to a series of tests during their sleep in an unfamiliar place.
What did they observe? First, that there was indeed a “first night effect”: in almost all of the volunteers, they noted an increased sleep disturbance on the first night, which they did not find on the following nights.
Then, they examined what exactly was happening in the brain. And the researchers discovered a particular phenomenon in their subjects: their left hemisphere did not plunge as deeply into sleep as their right hemisphere. Now, we know that the left hemisphere is the one of logic, rationality and vigilance, while the right hemisphere is the one of emotions and creativity.
The left hemisphere, our night watchman
The researchers hypothesized that this wakefulness of the left hemisphere when we sleep for the first time in an unfamiliar place may have been inherited from our distant prehistoric ancestors. In order to remain on the lookout for potential danger, our brain would thus take care to keep a tiny bit of vigilance, which would be lodged in the left hemisphere since it is the rational side.
And the researchers went even further: during the night, they slightly stimulated the volunteers’ right ear and then left ear with small noises. They then found that the reactions of the sleeping brain were more marked when they stimulated the right ear, which is linked to the left hemisphere, rather than the left ear, which is linked to the right hemisphere. Humans would therefore have an atavistic need to sleep with only one eye open when they discover a new place, in order to protect themselves in case of danger and to be able to react.
Traveling with your pillow
So, what is the solution to avoid leaving the arms of Morpheus during your first night of vacation? It’s very simple: rather than moving your bed to orient it according to a feng shui atmosphere (a process that has not been scientifically validated), the researchers simply advise traveling with your own pillow. Its familiar smell and contact will help to attenuate this phenomenon of semi-vigilance and give you a more serene first night.
Additional points:
- The study found that the first night effect was more pronounced in people who were more anxious or introverted.
- The effect can be mitigated by taking some relaxation techniques before bed, such as reading or taking a bath.
- It is also important to make sure that your sleep environment is dark, quiet, and cool.
