Science explains why you fall asleep in a new bed

Everybody wants to leave on weekends for a break. But not many people support the idea of sleeping in a bed that is different from their own, even though this is always inevitable. The first night in another bed could be a real torture. A lot of people suffer from a kind of first night effect, which makes them fall asleep terrible.

But why do we sleep so badly the first night in another bed?

That explains a lot of things...

First night

Is it a bad night because of a terrible mattress? Not at all! Even if the mattress is super soft, it may seem absolutely impossible to fall asleep that night. So, what's causing it? Recent studies show that the brain is to blame.

Brain

Even when you're sleeping, your brain is active, so it's working. When on vacation, the left side of your brain (your left hemisphere) is more active than usual, according to researchers. Apparently, this is because you're in a place you don't know and your brain links this to danger. So, even when you're sleeping, you're in the “role ready” for any possible risk. Your left hemisphere is working harder at night, but your right hemisphere has the same level of activity as it does when you're home. This imbalance in activity between the two hemispheres causes the disorder that torments you to sacrifice all night long.

Fortunately, this is not a problem for long; the brain is soon taught about the new situation. The chances are you can sleep like a lamb during the second night.