Sleeping in Hostels: 15 Helpful Tips to Rest Well

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Sleeping in hostels can be tough if you’re not prepared. This post is full of tips to make sure you get the best sleep possible in your hostel.

Quick Rundown

If you’re new to hostel travel, you might not be used to sleeping in hostels in a dorm room with (up to) twenty people you’ve never met.

I’ll admit, it’s a bit jarring the first time. But, it’s so worth it to get involved with the hostel style of travel.

If you’ve got a dorm full of roommates, even if you’ve made friends with them, it can be tough to get a good night’s sleep if you don’t know what to expect.

Follow these 15 tips to rest well even if you’re in a full hostel dorm.

Tips For Sleeping in Hostels

1. Bring a Sleep Mask & Ear Plugs

One of the biggest keys to getting a good night’s sleep in a hostel is being able to block out whatever is going on around you.

Whether it’s snoring, people getting up to go to the bathroom, or rummaging through their bags, a sleep mask and ear plug set will allow you to block that out and catch some Zs.

This is the mask I use. I choose not to use earplugs, as I prefer headphones, which is my next tip!

2. Use Headphones

If you’re like me and earplugs aren’t your thing, I recommend bringing a pair of headphones to drown out the noise. People get up and walk around, leave the room, and go through their things.

Not everyone has great hostel etiquette like you will have, so headphones will help you get some peace while you’re drifting off to sleep.

This is the set I use. It’s the perfect balance of still getting good sound without spending a big chunk of money.

3. Put Your Phone on Silent

When I sleep in hostels, my phone is always right next to me in bed or on the little shelf that’s sometimes found in the bed space. I silence all my notifications when I lay down.

Notifications for texts, emails, calls, and social media are loud, even if they’re just on vibrate. When the room is dead quiet, even the smallest vibration can wake you or others. Remember, you’re not the only one trying to sleep in the room.

4. Wear Comfortable Clothes

When you go to bed, it’s a good idea to dress in layers. It’s likely that you won’t be able to control the temperature in your room, so you’ll want to be prepared.

When I say be prepared, I mean you don’t want to have to get up in the middle of the night to get more clothes out of your bag.

Needing to get up disturbs not only your sleep but others in the room as well, especially if you’re on the top bunk. Nobody likes a top bunk up-and-downer.

5. Bring a Travel Blanket or Pillow

If you’re somewhere cold, it could come in handy to have an extra blanket. Bringing a travel blanket and/or pillow from home could also give you an extra little piece of comfort that might help you sleep.

There’s something to be said for having a little piece of home with you while you drift off to sleep. When you’re on the road and far from home, it can really help.

You can also use it as a makeshift curtain, which we’ll talk about later on.

6. Use the Bathroom Before Bed

As I said earlier, nobody likes an up-and-downer. Sometimes, it happens, sure. But do what you can to avoid having to get up in the middle of the night.

Even if you’re able to hold it and not get up, having to go can make resting quite difficult. Get it out of your system before bed so you and everyone else can have a nice peaceful night.

7. Get Anything You Might Need Out of Your Bags

When you’re lying in bed trying to sleep, the LAST thing anyone wants to hear is the sound of someone rustling in their bags.

Get your phone charger, charge up your bank, and grab an extra layer of clothes or anything you might need during the night.

I’d take that a step further and even get out the clothes you want to change into in the morning, in case people are still sleeping when you wake up.

8. Tuck Yourself In

I don’t know about you, but I move around a lot when I sleep. The first few times I stayed in a hostel, I was pretty self-conscious about moving around too much. I didn’t want to keep people awake, roll out of bed, slam my knee into the wall, or do anything else noisy and awful.

For you top bunk sleepers, I mean “tuck yourself in” in the most literal way. The side of the bed that’s open, leave that side of the blanket tucked in (or tuck it in, if it’s not). This will prevent you from rolling out of bed.

Believe it or not, it has happened!

9. Only Use the Bed for Sleeping

This is a hot tip (not the kind of hot you might be thinking). You can take this tip from the hostel all the way home with you.

If you want to hang out and relax or do something on your tablet or phone, don’t do it in the bed. Only get in bed when you’re ready to go to sleep.

This will help your body know that once it’s in bed, it’s time to sleep. This little trick to fall asleep faster works at home too, by the way!

10. Put Your Head on the Correct End

This might sound silly, but if you put your head on the wrong end and get your head stepped on by the person above you who cant find their footing, you might not think it’s so funny.

Sleeping with your head at the right end could also help with light getting into your space. The bunk beds aren’t always the bare bones bunks that we grew up with. It used to be like that, which part of why hostels have a bit of a stigma.

Now though, the newer hostels have beds that are crafted for a bit more privacy. That being said, the bottom end, where your feet are supposed to go, is usually more open which lets in light.

Sleep with your head away from ladder. Avoid getting your head stepped on.

11. Choose the Right Type of Room

There are some different types of hostel rooms. Staying in the right type of room for you could impact your sleeping in hostels.

The hostel will likely have a few different capacities for rooms, along with private rooms. You might be able to choose from staying in a 4-person dorm up to a 20-person dorm.

If you’ve followed our other tips, you should be able to sleep no matter how many people are in your room. But, you’ve got to be comfortable with the amount of people around you too, so choose the room type that best suits you.

12. Consider the Location of the Hostel

Maybe even more important than the type of room you choose is the location of the hostel itself. This is usually how I start the process of choosing a hostel.

Location is important. Sleeping in hostels can be tough if there’s a bar or nightclub next door, it can make it hard (if you haven’t followed our other tips, of course).

For me, I choose the area of town I want to stay in, look for hostels in that area, and pay attention to what’s around it. A bar next door isn’t necessarily a deal breaker, but it’s good to know ahead of time so you can be prepared.

Of course, if you follow all 15 of these tips, you’ll be able to rest even if there’s a dance party on the floor above you.

13. Make a Curtain (If There Isn’t One Already)

Even if you’re not somewhere cold, I’d still recommend bringing a travel blanket to put up as a curtain (if the bed doesn’t have them already).

If you’re on the bottom bunk you can tuck the blanket into the mattress above you and drape it over your bed to close off your bed space from the rest of the room.

This can provide some extra comfort and block some light, allowing you to sleep better.

14. Tire Yourself Out

This is the fun one. When you go somewhere new, the best way to sleep all night is to be exhausted when you lay down. Spend all day exploring the city, walking the streets, talking to people, get out there!

Find some tours to take, or some activities to do. Maybe there’s a sandboarding and dune buggy experience around. Go visit a ruin site. Go shark fighting!

This is the idea of traveling after all. I usually sleep great when I travel. This is one of the reasons why sleeping in hostels is easy for me. There are 13 other reasons above and 1 more below.

15. If You’re Miserable, Say Something

Sometimes, not often, but sometimes, the situation is just bad. The mattress is junky, the people around you are being ridiculously noisy. It’s too cold. Sometimes, things just suck.

When those situations come up. Don’t just lay there in an irritated rage waiting to leave that 1 star yelp review.

Say something! Sometimes, they can move you to a different room or a different bed. It’s not always the end of the world when things suck. It’s worth saying something to the receptionist and see if something can be done.

Sleeping in Hostels FAQs

Is Staying in a Hostel Safe?

We’ve got a full post on hostel safety, but in summary:

I’ve stayed in some sketchy areas of town when I’ve traveled. Let me tell you, nothing beats the feeling of getting back to the safety of the hostel late at night.

Often times there’s a lock on the front door that only guests have the keys to. Other times it’s a buzzer with a camera, where the front desk person buzzes you in. There’s always a bracelet or something of the sort that you must show in order to get past the front desk.

Are these precautions completely foolproof? Probably not. But they certainly do more than most hotels I’ve stayed in. At hotels, people come and go as they please, with no check for credentials.

That isn’t so with hostels. I’ve stayed in some really good hostels and some not-so-good ones. What they all had in common were these safety precautions.

It’s the way of the hostel. Due to its budget offerings, precautions are taken to ensure the safety of the guests and the staff.

What is it Like to Stay in a Hostel?

I get asked this question a lot when I talk about my travels. The answer to the question is: it’s great!

You get to meet new people, save more than a few bucks compared to other hotels, and probably push your comfort zones. If you’re new to it, I’ll tell you that it’s different from what you’re used to.

But I’m confident you’ll love it!

Is it Easy to Sleep in a Hostel?

Sleeping in hostels isn’t always easy. Sometimes it’s hard! Our 15 tips will definitely make it as easy as possible for you to get some sleep in your hostel.

There are a lot of different types of hostels and a lot of circumstances that will come up in your different stays. If you follow the advice here, you’ll maximize your chances to sleep easy.

What Should I Pack For a Hostel?

Lucky for you, we have a hostel packing list! There are a few items from that list in our first few tips here, but check that post for the full list.

From sleep kits, to tech gear, to packing cubes, that list has it all!

Other Hostel FAQs

Hostels are the way to travel on a budget whether you’re solo traveling or with friends and trying to save a few bucks and meet some people along the way.

But you might have some questions. Let me try to answer them.

Are Hostels Scary?

This one might seem silly to you. I hope it does, actually. This question is like the warning label on products that everyone wonders why it’s even there. Because believe it or not, there are people that need it.

I’d be embarrassed to tell you the number of times I’ve mentioned staying in a hostel and someone responded with, “Isn’t that scary?”

No! It’s not scary at all. Usually, when you walk into a hostel, you’re greeted by a receptionist and see the common area immediately. Since it is the first impression, hostels put a great deal of effort into making sure the common area is clean and welcoming.

You’ll see a few people scattered around with laptops and earbuds working. Or maybe they’re grouped together and talking about the day they had and comparing experiences. Sometimes there’s even a theater room where everyone can gather to watch a movie.

Does that sound scary? I think not!

What Are the Advantages of Staying in a Hostel?

If you want a deep dive into the advantages of staying in a hostel, check out our post about how hostels compare to hotels.

We’ll touch on them here too since you’re here. When you stay in a hostel the advantages are:

• Breakfast – If you’ve followed our advice on choosing a hostel, you’ve chosen one that includes breakfast. Take advantage of this even if it’s not exactly what you want in the morning. It’s a good chance to meet people or plan out your day over a coffee.
• Price – Hostels are the most budget-friendly way to travel, hands down. There are reasons for that, of course, but if you’re trying to travel on a budget (even if you’re not), stay in a hostel.
• Meeting People – The opportunities to meet people and make friends while staying in a hostel will be more than any other lodging choice you can come up with. With all the shared spaces you won’t be able to help but make some new friends
• Activities – When you stay in a hotel, you get recommendations aimed at tourists. These will always be the most expensive options. When you stay at a hostel, they’ll give you budget-friendly recommendations and even help you find the best deals.

What Are the Disadvantages of Staying in a Hostel?

Are there some disadvantages? Sure. I think the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages, but we should mention them in the interest of covering everything.

• Privacy – This is the big one. There are a lot of shared spaces, spaces we’re used to having to ourselves. This takes a bit of getting used to.
• Can be Noisy – Some hostels have bars where music plays late into the night making it hard to sleep if you go to bed early. Don’t forget your earplugs and sleep mask from our hostel packing list to give you the best sleep possible.
• Shower Time – Sometimes it can be hard to catch a shower, depending on how many people are sharing it. I’ve grown to not plan my showers, but instead to take one whenever I get the chance.
• Easier to Lose or Misplace Items – In a hotel, you just dump your stuff wherever and pick it all up when you check out. In a hostel though, I find it easier to keep everything sort of packed and only take out what I need when I need it. This can make it easier to lose or misplace something. Not to mention, if you do, there’s the chance someone else will pick it up. Pick up a lock and utilize the hostel lockers!

Summing Up Sleeping in a Hostel

Twin beds or bunk beds, four roommates or twenty, sleeping in hostels has been made as easy as possible here in this post.

Whether you’re new to hostel travel or a seasoned veteran, hopefully you’ve found some useful advice and information here. That’s our goal here after all, to make sure you have all the best information and are as prepared as possible for your trip!

Now that you’re a professional when it comes to sleeping in hostels, you’re ready to make the jump and take the trip.

Have fun out there!