What is sleep tourism and why is it on the rise?
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Scrolling through social media over a morning coffee, you're just as likely to see someone sharing their sleep tracker data as a sunrise yoga session or breakfast smoothie. Amid the so-called sleep epidemic — in the UK, 74% of adults report sleeping badly, and research suggests that 5-7% are seeing their GP to complain about fatigue — a solid eight-hour sleep has become a sought-after luxury and something we're all keen to shout about. With travel and wellbeing so intrinsically interconnected, it's no wonder our collective desire for a successful snooze has driven a new and booming category of travel: sleep tourism.
What exactly is sleep tourism?
Sleep tourism is a burgeoning area of travel where getting a good night's kip is the number-one priority. While hotels have long boasted about their ability to offer just this, sleep tourism is far more than high thread count sheets and extensive pillow menus. It's all about creating a travel experience where improving sleep is at the core, whether that's a week-long, one-off retreat to learn the art of sleeping well, a medical-led stay where issues are diagnosed and treated or a relaxing break with daily sleep-inducing spa treatments. Most notably, it's a trend that's here to stay. In fact, a 2024 report by HTF Market Intelligence found the worldwide sector is worth more than $690bn (£544bn) and is forecast to grow by another $400bn (£315bn) between 2024 and 2028.
Why is this trend growing?
The growth comes as part of a wider shift towards viewing health from a 360-degree perspective. 'People have long been looking at their diet and physical health via fitness, but the next chapter is sleep,' explains Charlie Morley, a sleep and dream expert who has written four books on the topic. Morley has partnered with a number of hotels on sleep and dream programmes including Nômade in Tulum, Mexico and Kimpton Fitzroy in London. 'Hotels have realised that people are using these trips, where they're away from work or their children, as a chance to really prioritise good sleep,' Morley adds.
SHA Wellness Clinic takes a multidisciplinary approach to alleviating issues with sleep.
Photograph by SHA Spain
Where can you experience it and what can you expect?
Within this ever-evolving category of travel, approaches vary hugely. On one end of the spectrum, the rise in medicine-led spas is paving the way for science-backed programmes that aim to get to the bottom of ongoing and life-impacting issues. Take the medical spa, SHA Wellness Clinic in Andalucia, Spain, where in-house sleep medicine specialist Dr Vicente Mera creates the clinic's Sleep Well package for guests who have difficulty falling asleep, suffer with interrupted sleep or don't feel properly rested upon waking.
'We conduct a thorough assessment to identify issues such as snoring, nocturnal movements or breathing difficulties. This includes examining the airways, heart and neurological system,' Dr Mera explains. From this, the team create a personalised treatment plan that includes lifestyle modifications, dietary adjustments, supplements and therapies like CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) for sleep apnea or phototherapy to improve the body's response to light. 'Our goal is to gradually restore natural, restorative sleep and energy levels,' she adds.
Expert-led approaches are being adopted around the world, with sleep experts being brought in to up the ante on in-house wellbeing programmes. Longueville Manor in Jersey partnered with psychotherapist and sleep specialist Lydia Falle to create a Sleep Easy experience for guests, while Post Ranch Inn in California's Big Sur collaborated with 'The Sleep Doctor', Dr Michael Breus, one of the US's most renowned sleep experts.
Other destinations take a more holistic approach. The Maldives may be synonymous with a relaxing break, but at Soneva's locations (Jani and Fushi), guests can sign up for the Soneva Soul Sleep Programme for either seven or 14 days. 'Many guests arrive from fast-paced environments where their sleep patterns are frequently disrupted. They crave an experience that contrasts completely with the chaos they're used to,' Dr Lilly-Marie Blecher, chief medical officer at Soneva, explains.
The 360 approach encompasses nervous system rebalancing via mindfulness and meditation practices, daily movement through yoga and exercise classes and personalised sleep rituals such as herbal baths. Alongside this, guests are encouraged to prioritise morning sunshine to reset their circadian rhythm and barefoot walking to balance their body's electromagnetic field.
In a similar vein, many hotels are leaning on ancient wisdom to enhance sleep. At Lefay Resort & Spa's five-night sleep programme in Lake Garda, Italy, traditional Chinese medicine treatments focus on stimulating specific acupuncture points while Sri Lanka's Santani Wellness Kandy offers ayurvedic sleep treatments as part of its five-night programme.
The sauna at Santani Wellness Kandy is one of many holistic treatments offered.
Photograph by Pradeep Gamage
Santani Wellness Kandy was Sri Lanka's first purpose-built health retreat.
Photograph by Santani Wellness
What's next in the world of sleep tourism?
While there is a correlation between our reliance on technology and its impact on our ability to sleep, developments in this area are simultaneously driving interesting innovation. For example, Charlie Morley's latest collaboration with Kimpton Fitzroy saw him design a Room To Dream package, which gives guests a chance to experience lucid dreaming with the help of AI. The art of being conscious of your dreams is induced by Morley's guided meditation via a VR headset and a specific herbal tea. In the morning, guests can then send the description of their dream to an AI artist, who subsequently creates a visual interpretation of it.
Looking to the future, Morley sees technology expanding the possibilities of sleep tourism, not just in terms of dreams, but for sleep quality, too. 'The gamification of sleep will continue to grow and this will be maximised by the travel industry with innovations like smart beds. These types of bed will be able to measure the quality of your sleep, allowing you to see what tools or techniques work for you,' Morley says. 'Soon, hotels really will be able to back up their claims of offering a great night's sleep with some pretty solid data.' In the meantime, our quest for deep rest and sound sleep will continue to be one of the key reasons travellers book a break.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
5 vineyard restaurants to visit in England
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). In the UK's dynamic wine scene, seasonally led vineyard restaurants are becoming as much of a draw as the wine itself, ideal for languid summer afternoons. Here are five of the best to whet your appetite — from Michelin-starred venues getting creative with locally foraged ingredients to an East Sussex hotspot where wood-wired pizzas are paired with the perfect natural wine. Operating since 1952, Hambledon is the UK's oldest commercial winery. Its award-winning sparkling wines include the classic cuvee and, new for 2025, its first blanc de blancs. There's a beautiful tasting room and the new restaurant is already a destination in its own right; overseen by head chef Nick Edgar, seasonal menus feature chalk stream trout with watercress, best end of lamb or Old Winchester cheese souffle. Blending his South African heritage with classic European cooking, executive chef Jean Delport has helped Interlude, the elegant restaurant with rooms at the heart of the Leonardslee Estate, earn both a Michelin star and Michelin Green star. Foraged ingredients from the local landscape include wild garlic, bracken fiddleheads and hazelnuts, while the estate rears its own venison. Sip and overlook the vines at this rooftop bistro-terrace above Chapel Down's tasting room. Two AA Rosettes have been awarded for British-Mediterranean dishes, which are paired with feted wines from the 1,000-acre estate. Seasonality reigns and the menu might include Romney Marsh lamb with Moroccan mint yoghurt that sings when accompanied by a 2022 bacchus from Chapel Down's Kit's Coty North Downs vineyard. A glass of the rosé brut pairs well with the Kent rhubarb parfait. Founded in the 1980s, Sharpham Wine has recently shifted its focus to low-intervention wines. Set on the Sandridge Barton estate, the winery is home to rustic-chic tasting barns and a restaurant in the old milking parlour with a menu centered on Devon produce. Try the likes of estate beef fillet, red chicory and anchoiade, or a range of Sharpham cheeses, perfect with its medal-winning pinot noir. Tillingham has made a name for itself (and earned a Michelin Green star) thanks to its biodynamic approach to viticulture and bucolic setting in the Sussex High Weald. At the estate complex, flavourful natural wines sit alongside wood-fired pizzas and the likes of goat's cheese mousse with charred peach, seared local scallops with black pudding crumb, and Pevensey lamb rump. There are stylish bedrooms in a converted hop barn as well as bell tents in the summer. Published in Issue 28 (summer 2025) of Food by National Geographic Traveller (UK).To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
National Geographic
2 days ago
- National Geographic
How to experience 6 of Europe's most musical cities
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). While many cities can lay claim to being hubs of musical creativity, only a few become truly synonymous with a certain sound. After all, Vienna will always waltz to the tune of Strauss and few can imagine Seville without the passion of flamenco. In some cases, a city is its music. And, like that of a gifted composer, the European repertoire is vast. Whether for pop or classical, folk or techno, travellers will find no shortage of cities to immerse themselves in Europe's great soundtrack. There are hands-on workshops, interactive museums that chart the story of a genre, and nightly shows at age-old venues — perhaps the closest thing to seeing a city's soul. Whatever your taste, here are six of the best in which to plan a tuneful escape of your own. The Museo del Baile Flamenco houses costumes, art and interactive exhibits, which chart the history of the genre, with shows in the courtyard or cellar events space. Photograph by Getty Images, Miguel Sotomayor 1. Flamenco in Seville Seville's heart beats with flamenco. The stirring trinity of song, dance and music has its roots in the city's Gitano communities and has become an emblem of both Seville and Spain; such is its cultural value that it was added to the UNESCO Intangible World Cultural Heritage list in 2010. Tablaos are the place to experience the dance. Packed each night of the week, these venues can range from the casual La Carbonería, where locals come for tapas and a show, to more venerable institutions such as Peña Flamenca Torres Macarena, a stage and cultural hub for new and established performers, or El Arenal, where punters can enjoy a full-course dinner with a show. But the street is perhaps the most authentic stage of all. An outdoor performance might stir into life on the grand Plaza de España; on a tree-shaded patio in the Barrio de Santa Cruz, or in Triana, the buzzy, working class district said to be the birthplace of flamenco. The area is home to the Teatro Flamenco, a bijou theatre that holds nightly performances, as well as the workshop of teacher and guide Eva Izquierdo, who runs hour-long flamenco classes for budding bailadores (dancers). For an edifying experience, the Museo del Baile Flamenco houses costumes, art and interactive exhibits, which chart the history of the genre, with shows in the courtyard or cellar events space. Date for the diary: The annual Feria de Sevilla is a lavish celebration of Andalucian culture with parades, traditional dress, sherry and plenty of flamenco. 20-26 April 2026. Listen to: A Tu Vera by Lola Flores. More than just watering holes, Galway's atmospheric pubs have a proud tradition of hosting and championing Irish folk (or Irish trad) musicians. The Crane Bar heads up any list of must-visit venues, with both floors of this lively Victorian haunt host packed-out sessions each night of the week. Photograph by Getty Images, Thomas Winz 2. Irish folk in Galway The rousing sound of a fiddle is never far away on Ireland's west coast. Huddled against the Atlantic, Galway is a bastion of traditional culture, where poets, artists and musicians have long found a place to hone their craft in the city's bustling bars and salty-aired granite streets. More than just watering holes, Galway's atmospheric pubs have a proud tradition of hosting and championing Irish folk (or Irish trad) musicians. The Crane Bar heads up any list of must-visit venues: both floors of this lively Victorian haunt host packed-out sessions each night of the week, while Monroe's Tavern focuses on Irish-language music, and often throws dancing and poetry nights, too. With its charming web of streets festooned with flags and hanging baskets, the Latin Quarter is not to be missed. It's the beating heart of the folk music scene: buskers can be heard on street corners, covering classic ballads or trying out their own original tunes, while the pubs here make a fine place to while away an evening with a whiskey or two. Tigh Neachtain has been trading since 1894 and has platformed several well-known Irish folk artists, including acclaimed accordionist Sharon Shannon. Over at the charming Tig Choili, twice-daily live music sessions come courtesy of local and visiting musicians alike. Date for the diary: Now in its fourth year, the Galway Folk Festival promises a spirited programme of live music sessions across the city. 4-8 June. Listen to: My Irish Molly O by De Danann. Stockholm has been a powerhouse of European pop and now, fans can dig into the city's hit-making heritage at the Swedish Museum of Performing Arts, which explores the history and future of music, theatre and dance. Photograph by Getty Images, Kavalenkava Volha 3. Pop in Stockholm Ace of Base, Roxette, The Cardigans, Robyn and, of course, ABBA… Sweden's musical exports reads like a festival headline bill. For decades, Stockholm has been a powerhouse of European pop and now, fans can dig into the city's hit-making heritage at the Swedish Museum of Performing Arts, which explores the history and future of music, theatre and dance. The Avicii Experience tells the story of the late, chart-topping DJ with a collection of unreleased music and virtual-reality karaoke, while the club Trädgården sees revellers dance beneath Skanstullsbron bridge. And, in the city that gave the world Spotify, vinyl still has its place; Bengans, Snickars and Mickes record stores are a music-lover's dream, while Pet Sounds sells used records beside a cocktail bar. But no trip to the city would be complete without a whirl around ABBA The Museum, where the career of Sweden's most successful act is celebrated through interactive exhibits and memorabilia. Date for the diary: Drömmen Festival will bring together pop legends from Sweden and around the world, including Ronan Keating, Gipsy Kings and Shirley Clamp. 7 June. Listen to: It Must Have Been Love by Roxette. 4. Classical in Vienna Just like the Danube, music flows through the heart of the Austrian capital. Some of history's greatest virtuosos — from Mozart to Haydn, Beethoven to Strauss — lived and worked in Vienna, leaving a musical legacy that's as rich as a Habsburg palace. When it comes to live music, the Vienna State Opera shines as one of the world's most opulent music venues, while the Golden Hall at the Musikverein is home to the Vienna Mozart Orchestra. Mozart's legacy lives on in performances at the Orangery at Schönbrunn Palace, the space where he premiered The Impresario in 1786. The House of Strauss, meanwhile, is the world's only remaining concert hall where all four Strausses performed. Not everything takes place in palatial surrounds though. Intimate piano recitals are held at the Mozarthaus, where the composer lived, while the Annakirche is a baroque jewel of a church that hosts affordable concerts. Date for the diary: 2025 is the bicentenary of Johann Strauss's birth. A special concert by the Vienna Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony Orchestra and violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter will mark the big day on 25 October. Listen to: The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II. The French capital is peppered with old-school jazz clubs, and few are as hallowed as Le Caveau de la Huchette, on the Left Bank. Photograph by Getty Images, Shironosov 5. Jazz in Paris When American troops were stationed in Paris during the First World War, they brought with them the improvised rhythms of jazz. In the years that followed, this sound took Paris's music halls by storm and has become entwined with the city's soundscape. The French capital is peppered with old-school jazz clubs, and few are as hallowed as Le Caveau de la Huchette, on the Left Bank. The building dates to the 16th century and has staged countless stars of swing in its time, including Sidney Bechet and Lionel Hampton. On the Right Bank, life on the Rue des Lombards saunters to the sound of jazz, for it's home to three of the city's finest bars: crowds squeeze into the Duc des Lombards, Sunset/Sunside and Le Basier Salé for late-night jam sessions. But, if one figure epitomises the French jazz era, it's Josephine Baker who turned heads in 1926 when she performed at the Folies Bergère wearing a banana skirt. The legendary music hall remains an art deco icon of Paris's musical heritage. Date for the dairy: Jazz festivals include Jazz à La Villette, held in the Parc de la Villette. August/September 2025, dates TBC. Listen to: Black Trombone by Serge Gainsbourg. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the underground electronic music scene offered West and East Berliners a way to come together. Photograph by Getty Images, Mahiruysal 6. Electronic in Berlin If German reunification had a sound, it would be one of wavy synths and drum machines. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the underground electronic music scene offered West and East Berliners a way to come together. Since then, the city has become the pounding heart of European electronica. Venues have popped up in disused landmarks across the city, harking to the 1990s when students began squatting in abandoned buildings. A fine example is Tresor, which began in the cellar of a former department store in 1991. Now housed in a decommissioned power plant, its killer sound system draws fans from across the world. Kater Blau — a former soap factory — is a popular, open-air summer spot beside the River Spree, while ://about blank takes a political approach to techno, offering 'hedonistic, insurrectionalist dialectic'. Top of any list, however, is Berghain, the cathedral-like club where (almost) anything goes. Top-quality sound and performances aside, the mysterious entry policy is all part of the appeal and has revellers queuing for hours. Date for the diary: Rave the Planet Parade mixes rave culture with political demonstration. 12 July. Listen to: Autobahn by Kraftwerk. Published in the European Cities Collection 2025 by National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
National Geographic
2 days ago
- National Geographic
Where to drink in Jerez, the birthplace of Spanish sherry
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). A pretty place with a jumble of Moorish-style courtyards, gothic churches and grand baroque buildings, the small Andalucian city of Jerez is largely untouched by gentrification and tourism — despite being only an hour from Seville. Yet it has a long-held reputation as the country's sherry capital: 'jerez' means 'sherry' in Spanish and the fortified wine has been made here for over 3,000 years. Once considered old fashioned, sherry has stepped back into the spotlight in recent years, popping up in cocktails and spritzes in bars globally, and Jerez is the ideal place to rediscover it. Locals work hard to preserve their traditions — and have a good time, too — whether it's at flamenco clubs, horse shows or lively sherry bars called tabancos. And with new direct flights from the UK launching this summer, the city is more accessible than ever. Tabanco & tapas tour Start your sherry education with Jerez native Aurora Muñoz, who runs Soleras y Criaderas. Her evening tours take travellers through the winding streets of the historic centre, stopping in different tabancos. As guests sample sherry and tapas, Aurora tells the story of the fortified wine, including how its production boomed in the 16th century after Sir Francis Drake stole 3,000 casks from neighbouring Cadiz and took them to England. The history of the tabancos themselves — originally drinking spots reserved for workers in the sherry-producing bodegas — is also explored. Alongside traditional bars, Aurora stops at places putting a modern spin on the sherry drinking experience, such as bottle-shop-meets-deli Mantequeria El Espartero. Las Banderillas All ages gather at this traditional tabanco, where the walls are covered in bullfighting paraphernalia. Grandparents perch on high stools waiting for plates of Iberico ham to be passed back to them, toddlers are put on the bar and young couples grab glasses of fino — the driest sherry — to swig standing in the street. While normally tabancos serve simple cold snacks alongside the sherry, people come here for the full kitchen and excellent tapas — don't miss the grilled octopus with garlicky potatoes. C. Caballeros, 12, 11403 Jerez de la Frontera Tabanco El Pasaje At Jerez's oldest tabanco — 100 this year — the sherry comes with a side of the city's other most famous export, flamenco. Three times a day (around 2pm, 7.30pm and 9.30pm), a silence falls upon this normally riotous bar, one soon filled with the distinct sounds of this Andalucian art form — strumming guitars, energetic stomping and emotive singing. Book one of the limited tables for a front-row seat or join the standing crowd at the back — there's a well-positioned mirror to enable those with an obstructed view to see. Restaurante Pedro Nolasco Best known for its famous Tio Pepe fino, the González Byass winery complex also houses this standout restaurant. Accessed via a private cobbled street enclosed by a canopy of vines, this minimalist ground-floor spot sits in an old wine cellar that opens up to a bright courtyard overlooking Jerez cathedral. Start with a refreshing fino spritz, made with dry sherry, sparkling water and elderflower. The dishes that follow are sherry-themed, such as sea bass with sherry vinegar, and melon infused with Tio Pepe, lime and honey. Bodegas Tradición This small-scale independent sherry producer offers informative tours with a tasting. After seeing the sherry-making process and cellars up close, the bodega's guide pulls up chairs in front of the barrels and serves up six key sherries. Taste from the driest (fino) to the sweetest (Pedro Ximénez), accompanied by an explanation of the processes that transform white grapes into these distinct flavours. The visit concludes with a tour of the owner's private art collection, which includes works by Goya, Velázquez and El Greco. Jerez's little airport is six miles north east of the city. New direct flights are available from May to October with Jet2 from Birmingham, Leeds Bradford and Manchester. Seville is also just an hour from Jerez by train and has year-round flight options from across the UK. Rooms at the world's first 'sherry hotel', Hotel Bodega Tio Pepe, start at €195 (£165) per night, B&B. Published in the June 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
