The Vital Role of Quality Sleep for a Business Traveler

In the high-stakes world of business travel, where every journey for a meeting can feel like a battle, the significance of quality sleep cannot be overstated. Just as Spartans approached every challenge with discipline and strategy, today's corporate travelers must wield quality sleep as their most formidable weapon. In this article, we will delve into the compelling data showcasing the paramount importance of quality sleep for business travelers and the innovative solutions, such as Sanctifly, that can help them achieve it.

The Significance of Quality Sleep

It’s of little surprise that quality rest is no longer a mere luxury; it's a necessity.

In collaboration with BCD Travel, Sanctifly conducted a Wellbeing Survey which showed compelling data that underscores the critical role of sleep for business travelers:

1. Productivity Boost: The Harvard Business Review's study found that well-rested employees are 40% more productive. In a world where each deal could define your success, productivity is paramount.

2. Health Impact: The American Heart Associationestablishes a connection between sleep deprivation and an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and obesity. Maintaining optimal health is vital for a corporate traveler.

3. Mood and Stress: The American Psychological Association highlights that insufficient sleep leads to increased stress and irritability. An irritable demeanor is hardly conducive to deal-making.

4. Jet Lag and Lack of Sleep: The BCD's Traveler Wellbeing Surveyrevealed that 36% of business travelers named a lack of sleep and jet lag among their major concerns. For one in five, jet lag was a major post-trip stressor.

Tips for Quality Sleep During Long-Haul Flights

In the modern domain of business travel, quality sleep is the most treasured commodity. With calendars booked to the hilt and the elusive work-life balance, achieving true rest becomes a quest.

To achieve quality sleep and rise like a true corporate warrior, consider these practical tips:

1. Create a Sleep Sanctuary: Make your resting space a sanctuary. Block out light, minimize noise, and control the room's temperature.

2. Stick to a Schedule: Maintain a consistent sleep schedule, even when traversing multiple time zones. Discipline your body's internal clock.

3. Mindful Eating: Avoid heavy meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime. Just like Spartans didn't feast before a battle, you shouldn't before sleep.

4. Exercise and Fresh Air: Engage in light physical activity during the day and get some fresh air to enhance sleep quality.

5. Unplug and Relax: Turn off electronic devices an hour before bedtime. Embrace activities that promote relaxation and mental calmness.

6. Invest in Quality Sleep Gear: Equip yourself with quality products to help you sleep better while traveling. Invest in a comfortable mattress, pillows, sleep masks, and earplugs to create your sleep sanctuary.

The Role of Technology:

In the age of innovation, technology plays a crucial role in enhancing the well-being of business travelers. The BCD data suggests that many travelers are turning to apps for well-being, with a significant interest in technology-based solutions to combat jet lag and improve sleep.

Sanctifly, a leading travel wellness club offers access to 600+ premium lounges, and other wellness facilities in and around the airport. In the last six months, these facilities were searched by every tenth traveler at various airports and hotels, highlighting the growing popularity of the sanctuary category. Additionally, Sanctifly has partnered with Timeshifter® to provide science-based recommendations for overcoming jet lag, optimizing sleep, and enhancing overall well-being.

As Karl Llewellyn, the Founder of Sanctifly says, "Getting proper sleep is the holy grail of every traveler." In his quest for rest, he recommends packing essentials like a good eye mask, earplugs, and a lightweight hoodie. Additionally, the Sanctifly app provides an array of tranquil options. You can uncover hidden quiet zones at the airport and access rejuvenating meditation sessions that help you recharge your energy.

By embracing these tips and utilizing innovative solutions like Sanctifly, can help you harness the power of rest during long-haul flights. By optimizing your sleep and well-being, you'll be fully prepared to seize opportunities and navigate the challenges of the corporate landscape. So, in your next business travel adventure, prioritize quality sleep to ensure you're at your best, both in the boardroom and on the journey.

5 Healthy Ways To Spend Time At The Airport

5 Healthy Ways To Spend Your Airport Downtime

1. Learn a new skill

2. Read

3. Get a massage

4. Walk the terminals

5. Stretch or Yoga

Airport downtime is inevitable for any traveler. For a leisure traveler that only fly once a year the airport may be a novelty. You start the holiday early and treat yourself to a drink or happily spend an hour or two browsing the duty free and testing cologne or trying out make up samples. For holidaymakers the airport experience is just another part of your holiday experience and while it’s not the most exciting part, provided you don’t experience any significant delays or other disruptions it can be enjoyable.

For frequent business travelers airport downtime has different connotations. It’s not a once or twice a year event that signifies the beginning of a holiday, it is a consistent part of their work life. The TSA recommends arriving at the airport 2 hours before domestic flights and 3 hours before international flights. When you take away average times for getting through security and boarding the plane that leaves about 1-2 hours of airport downtime for passengers and that is not factoring in possible delays. If you are a frequent business traveler that travelers 3-4 times a month for work, you could potentially be spending 16 hours a month hanging around the airport. That’s over 800 hours a year!

We were curious about this downtime and how people spend it here at Sanctifly, so we asked a number of our frequent business traveler members how they spend their extra time at the airport. The overwhelming majority said, ‘I use the time to catch up on emails and get some work done’. Now, while their employers are probably delighted with this answer, we were wondering if that is really the best use of their time? When you go on a business trip it can be hard to switch off and tie away from work is vital for productivity, employee well-being and to avoid employee burnout. It is beneficial for the employer and the traveling employee to take time off whenever it is available, and I believe taking advantage of airport downtime for wellness and self-care is a great opportunity!

Here are 5 healthy ways you can kill time at the airport, without working or catching up on emails and without mindlessly scrolling through social media for hours.

1. Learn a language or learn another new skill

Airport downtime is a great opportunity to take some time to learn something new. Learning a new skill will help keep your brain sharp and focused and some studies have even showed benefits for memory loss. If you are heading to a different country where they speak a different language learning some basic greetings and other phrases can be very beneficial, not only for your brain but it will help you make a great impression in your business meeting. Being able to say ‘Hello, how are you? It’s nice to meet you’ in the language of the land will show you put a real effort into preparing for this meeting. So, the next time you are heading on a business trip pick up a phrase book and start learning! Or choose another skill to master, maybe you always wanted to learn how to draw, or journal or take and edit photos. The downtime you have at the airport is the perfect chance to learn something new.

2. Use the time to read

I absolutely adore reading, but as a busy professional with as many obligations outside of work as in, reading often gets pushed down the priority list. While sitting down with a cup of tea and a good book is a pretty standard part of my Sunday routine, during all other parts of the week I find it very hard to find the time. Airport downtime (and business trip downtime, if you find yourself with any) can be a time to catch up on reading. If you dedicate yourself to avoiding work during your airport downtime, there is literally nothing else to distract you while you are waiting for your flight. Except of course the hustle and bustle of the airport, but a good pair of noise cancelling headphones will solve that. Make sure you have a book that you are excited to read in your bag and dedicate your airport downtime to reading.

3. Get a massage

What better way to relieve the stress of traveling and continue on your journey feeling relaxed and energized than by treating yourself to a massage. Many larger airports have airport spas in the terminal, Be Relax and XpresSpa are two of the larger chains that offer airport spa services all over the world. Often, airport spas will cater their offering to your needs so even if you only have 15 minutes to spare you can still get a massage. Make your airport downtime an enjoyable experience by heading to the spa and integrating some self-care into your travel routine.

4. Walk the terminals

Staying sedentary, meaning that you are taking part in activities that require very low energy expenditure, i.e. sitting, can have some real negative effects on your health. Of course, if you live a sedentary lifestyle, meaning even outside your travel days you do not do much physical activity, it can affect your obesity levels and lead to a number of chronic health effects. But did you know that extended periods of inactivity and sedentary behaviour can reduce metabolism and impair the body's ability to control blood sugar levels and regulate blood pressure? Being at the airport is synonymous with sitting and waiting and not moving very much at all. If you travel frequently you need to be aware of the health risks that you are imposing on your body by sitting around the airport. And the solution is so simple! Walk the terminals. Airports are often vast and almost empty spaces. While they may seem busy and chaotic around the food court and the duty free, in larger airport there are often lots of distant and empty gates that you can walk to. Airports often have really amazing art installations dotted throughout them so why not make it a point on your next trip to take a walk and look at the art?

5. Stretch & yoga

As mentioned above moving your body and doing some sort of physical activity is really important. If you don’t want to aimlessly walk the terminals another option could be to find a quiet space, perhaps one of those empty gates or check and see if the airport you are in has a dedicated yoga room and do some stretching or yoga. Sanctifly members get access to a series of travel wellness videos including airport friendly workout routines, yoga routines to help energize you or to help you relax your body so that you can sleep on the plane. Your airport downtime is a great opportunity to take care of your body and improve your health through some gentle exercise. For more information on the benefits of becoming a Sanctifly member click here.

When you change the way you view your airport downtime and take the time to do something good for you it will have lasting benefits on your health, your productivity and your mental well-being. Next time you have a business trip treat that time at the airport as personal time and use it to your benefit.

Interested in becoming a Sanctifly member? Join today and get access to 2500+ wellness locations at over 130 international airports including access to airport executive lounges, airport gyms, pools and spas. Make the most of your airport downtime and make healthy choices on your next trip. View our different membership types.

What to do on your Montreal Layover

Smart Choices for the Healthy Traveler

SUGGESTIONS FOR YOUR YUL LAYOVER

We are creating a series of “things to do” at each airport.  This is to help you use your layover as wisely as possible.  We can’t always help that we are held up at an airport but if we can take advantage of the time we have there, then we hope you find the following suggestions useful:

Don’t forget how flexible your membership to the Sanctifly gym, swimming or spa is.  You can use it for an hour or more to suit the time you have available.  You can get single use membership or come onboard for full corporate membership for your business.

1 Hour

READ SOME BOOKS

From inside the airport you are able to download digital books via the platform lirevoustransporte.com. Download to your smartphone, tablet or e-reader the first chapter of any books available in five categories: Novel, Youth, Thriller, Essay/Bio, and Guide. Complete instructions for downloading are posted in the airport's rest areas around the international area. After enjoying the preview chapter, you can read the rest either by borrowing the complete e-book from the BAnQ portal or by purchasing it from the leslibraires.ca site (in print or digital format).

VIEW SOME ART

There are art exhibitions throughout the airport. In the international arrivals baggage-claim area there are works by various artists. There are also showcases in the U.S. departures area, illuminated columns in the public areas, and photos in the passenger return and international arrivals corridors. In the passenger return and international arrivals corridors, there is an integrated light installation by Alex Morgenthaler. Throughout the terminal there is a permanent collection, comprising works by Molinari, Pellan, Wesselow, and more. The mission of the Aérogalerie art program is to help support Montréal’s artistic and cultural development.

WALK IN THE PARK

If you enjoy taking a moment to marvel at the wonders of flight and watch the complicated movements of aircraft traffic, visit Jacques-de-Lesseps Park. It was inaugurated in 2012, and provides aviation enthusiasts with one of the best possible vantage points for observing the runways at Montréal–Trudeau. The park is located facing runways 24-L and 06-R, at the intersection of Halpern Avenue and Jenkins street.

2-3 Hours

FALL IN STYLE

If you need a bit of an adrenaline rush, but in safety, check out SkyVenture Montreal. It is the only recirculating indoor free-fall simulator in Canada. Experience the thrill of skydiving from the complete safety of an air tunnel guided by professionals.

GO SPEED RACING

As North America's premiere racing simulation centre, Vortex Racing brings the thrill and experience of racing to Montreal, a city immersed every summer in the excitement of the Canadian Grand Prix. There are eight professional-level simulators identical to those used by top Formula 1 teams to train their drivers. From first timers who want to know what it's like to be in a race car, to professional racers who want to practice in the most realistic setting possible, participants can sit in the driver's seat and feel the extraordinary rush of adrenaline unique to the sport.

STRETCH YOUr LEGS

Stretch your legs and take a nature walk at René-Lévesque Park. It is an urban park located on a jetty between the Saint Lawrence River and the Lachine Canal. It features a sculpture garden with works from Quebec artists, and an arboretum.

HIKE THE LANDSCAPE

If you need even more exotic nature pay a visit to the Refuge faunique Marguerite-D'Youville located on the Île Saint-Bernard. It offers eight kilometers of trails, beautiful natural landscape, local wildlife spotting, and a guided pontoon tour.

TAKE A FITNESS CLASS

If you need to get your blood pumping and want to meet some locals check out Econofitness. They offer group fitness classes and are located only 9 minutes from the airport. They offer classes with titles like Dance Party, Combat, Flex, and Zen Yoga so there is sure to be something for whatever you are in the mood for.

4+ Hours

GO ROCK CLIMBING

If you have time for a good work out and aren’t afraid of heights check out Clip ‘n Climb Laval and explore the adventure of rock climbing in a safe environment. There are more than 30 individually themed climbing walls that provide healthy, challenging fun. Automatic belay devices on every wall take in the slack as you climb and then lower you gently down to the ground. Not your average climbing gym, they offer bright, colorful, and unique climbing spaces.

HIT THE LINKS

Get out of the airport, stretch your legs, and get some fresh air with a round of golf at Golf Dorval. Be sure to check the schedule as they close during the winter months. There are five levels of difficulty are offered on their public course, and prices vary by season. There is also a practice field if you are interested in working on your swing or blowing off some steam hitting a few balls.

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Thanks so much for reading and feel free to send any suggestions you may have to be added to this list.

Sanctifly is our number one recommendation at every airport. Become a full member now and enjoy the benefits today!