Getting a good night's sleep on tour / avoiding jetlag

I seem to be bouncing all over the world, but here's my surefire way to be rested on tour. Bring the following:

1. Benadryl and/or any antihistamine, melatonin, whatever you know knocks you out.
2. Sleep mask
3. Ear plugs, and a handful of them - they'll get lost
4. Travel pillow

Since I'm flying over from the U.S., I generally arrive mid-morning, and it's a looooong day till sleepytime. Do not sleep. Shower, get out of the hotel, do whatever you have to do to keep moving. Stay awake. Go to bed at a normal time local time that night, use the Benadryl if you need a bit of help passing out (that first night, I don't!).

I'm one of those people that likes it dark when I sleep, and since you can never count on that in a random hotel room, sleep mask to the rescue. These are the hands down best: Cris Notti.

You never know if your good friend or roommate snores, or if your room will be noisy, so here's where the ear plugs come in. I like the orange spongey kind from the drugstore. I bring a handful. My friend said one morning, "How could you sleep with all those drunks outside last night?!" I said, "What drunks??" You can still hear a bit, so don't worry about not hearing the alarm clock

Finally, the travel pillow. I carry a small round beanbag pillow, which has helped immensely. Sometimes the hotel pillows are hard, or there IS no pillow (like on my train from Paris to Rome). Everyone was always amazed I seemed rested and didn't feel like stomped dog #### by the end of the tour.

Anyway, that's my advice. Be safe, secure your room, and live it up, but know your limits! That means getting some good sleep so you don't get sick on tour. (AIRBORNE for that!) Have fun!