Sleep Well on Vacation: Avoid Returning Exhausted
- Em plenas férias, já não há desculpas: sobra tempo para acordar sem pressa, não é preciso trabalhar nem levar as crianças à escola, e abundam os momentos de...
- Trata-se de um dilema nada pequeno, se levarmos em conta que estudos publicados pela revista científica Occupational Environmental Medicine revelam que a falta de sono pode se equiparar...
- Além disso, as sociedades acadêmicas de saúde destacam o bom descanso como um dos pilares da longevidade: melhora o humor e o sistema imunológico e permite que o...
Em plenas férias, já não há desculpas: sobra tempo para acordar sem pressa, não é preciso trabalhar nem levar as crianças à escola, e abundam os momentos de lazer para encontrar amigos e se divertir. No entanto,na mesma equação costumam aparecer horários desorganizados,jantares depois das 22h,maior consumo de álcool e uso excessivo de telas – todos fatores que,paradoxalmente,atentam contra o tão desejado descanso.
Trata-se de um dilema nada pequeno, se levarmos em conta que estudos publicados pela revista científica Occupational Environmental Medicine revelam que a falta de sono pode se equiparar ao efeito do álcool em termos de prejuízo cognitivo.
Além disso, as sociedades acadêmicas de saúde destacam o bom descanso como um dos pilares da longevidade: melhora o humor e o sistema imunológico e permite que o cérebro e o corpo funcionem corretamente. Isso porque, durante o sono noturno, o organismo realiza sua limpeza mais profunda: elimina toxinas, consolida memórias e remove resíduos metabólicos.
– As pessoas acreditam que, ao dormir mais horas durante as férias, podem recuperar o sono perdido ao longo do ano, mas isso, na prática, é quase impossível de alcançar – explica Pablo Ferrero, médico especialista em medicina do sono. – Elas vão dormir mais horas e cobrir necessidades que deveriam ter sido atendidas durante o ano. No entanto, o fato é que o corpo já se adaptou a esses hábitos nocivos e a qualidade de vida provavelmente está afetada – aprofunda.
Arturo Garay,médico responsável pela Medicina do Sono,faz uma ressalva e explica que a evidência acadêmica indica que pode haver,sim,uma recuperação parcial do sono durante as férias,mas apenas se,nos meses anteriores,o déficit tiver sido moderado.
However, the problem of rest in Argentina goes beyond vacations: according to one of the most recent reports, published in 2025 by Voices Research & Consultancy, almost 40% of Argentinians do not get a restful sleep.
In line with this, a 2023 study conducted by the Observatory of Applied Social Psychology at the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) indicated that, among 3,141 people interviewed, 45% had some type of sleep problem, with effects such as increased irritability, difficulties with concentration, memory and learning, and also decreased immune response.
- Poor sleep hygiene is associated with various long-term health problems. The most frequent are metabolic or mental disorders and cardiovascular diseases – summarizes the director of the Buenos Aires Neurology Institute, Alejandro Andersson.
Another study,this time from the University of San Andrés and published in The European Journal of Health Economics, reveals that the consequences of poor rest affect not onyl the quality of life of Argentinians,but also the country’s economy. According to the publication, Argentina could increase its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by up to 1.27% if the population slept between 7 and 9 hours a night, instead of the 6 or 7 hours currently slept on average. Sleeping little, they discovered, implies a greater risk of illness, workplace accidents and increased absenteeism.
Maintaining regular schedules for waking up and getting morning sunlight are some of the guidelines that experts highlight to improve rest.
Short naps, lasting between 10 and 20 minutes, are ideal for restoring brain function and improving alertness, explains Garay. If this timeframe is respected, the person perceives a restorative effect on the brain and an betterment in the state of alertness.
On the other hand, when naps are too long – between two and four hours - the risk of developing pathologies, especially cardiovascular ones, increases. He also points out that the best time to take them is after lunch, preferably between 1 pm and 5 pm.
Hurkle-Durkling and other formulas
Some people take advantage of their vacations to allow themselves habits unthinkable in the rush of the year. Hurkle-Durkling, for example, is a Scottish expression that refers to the practice of staying in bed for several hours in the morning to achieve an ideal level of rest. For those who adopt it, it represents a way of embracing self-care in a hyperconnected and fast-paced world.
The practice Hurkle-Durkling went viral on social media, although it is very simple: not getting out of bed for several hours.
– I don’t practice it literally like the scots, but I use it as a way to connect more with the present and distance myself from those responsibilities that, during the year, prevent me from resting – says Mia Solanet, 31, who recognizes that the flood of emails, hundreds of chats on WhatsApp and the pressure to always be running are part of her routine.
The 2024 Market Report from hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) highlights a growing trend: hotels are increasingly focused on providing guests with optimized sleep experiences.
The goal is to reboot through expert-led programs,ranging from AI-powered dream depiction and personalized meditations to precise medical exams and meals specifically designed to induce the best possible rest.
One location offering this is the Carillon Miami Wellness Resort, which features a four-night program where guests stay in a luxury suite equipped with a smart bed. This bed uses sensors to detect,adjust,and relieve pressure points,control temperature,and provide sleep statistics and facts accessible via mobile phone.
The Royal Champagne hotel & Spa, in northeastern France, is another pioneer with its Royal Sleep Experience program. Guests receive products that promote restorative sleep, such as calming essential oil sprays and melatonin drops designed to help regenerate skin overnight.
The setting also plays a key role. The Six Senses Ibiza, for example, offers an intensive sleep cure on the shores of Europe’s most exclusive beaches. The medical approach is combined with the benefits of yoga nidra, meditation, relaxing treatments, wellness therapies, nutritional counseling, and low-intensity training.
Good sleep is a cornerstone of SHA México,which falls under the sleep tourism modality.