From seasoned guests to long-time hotel receptionists, everyone has the same advise: leave the bathroom light on when sleeping at a hotel or guesthouse. This small act has several advantages and might even save your life in an emergency.
Leaving the bathroom light on when sleeping in a hotel or mothel has the following benefits:
1. Prepare for crisis.
In an emergency, leaving the bathroom light on while sleeping in a hotel can literally save your life.
Should an unanticipated event arise—such as an accident, earthquake, fire alert, or intruder into your room—you would easily find the exit with light coming from the bathroom.
It will be pretty difficult to find your way out of an unidentified location without lights on and surrounded with darkness. Trying to remain calm in a state of anxiety to find your phone or the light switch will waste important time away from danger.
Although nobody wants such unpleasant circumstances to arise, it is advisable to be ready.
2. Lower anxiety and dread.
Having the bathroom light on will help you feel more at ease whether you’re not used to sleeping in unusual environments or are easily afraid. It only provides enough illumination to reduce nervousness without interfering with your sleep.
Sleeping in a foreign setting might make people feel nervous and less comfortable than at home. Leaving the bathroom light on makes you feel more secure and reduces the likelihood of waking up unexpectedly in the middle of the night.
3. Promotes better sleep
Some people struggle to sleep in a dark room, yet using a nightlight can be excessively bright and uncomfortable. A better option for getting a decent night’s sleep in a hotel is to leave the bathroom light turned on. This way, there is some light, but it isn’t too bright or close to your eyes, making it easier to relax and go asleep.
Furthermore, if you wake up in the middle of the night, the full blackness around you means you’ll have to fumble around for the light, phone, or find the bathroom. This can completely wake you up, making it difficult to fall back asleep. It may also bother others in the room with you.
4. Ensures safety
Nighttime is when you should be most vigilant, especially if you are alone in a hotel room. Leaving the bathroom light on may deter someone with bad intentions from approaching. Seeing the light on may make them believe you’re still awake, discouraging them from attempting to break in.
5. Helps with orientation and reduces accidents.
Because you are unfamiliar with the room arrangement, if you do not leave the bathroom light or a nightlight turned on, you may trip when getting up for water or more blankets. Not to mention, if you have a habit of leaving your bag open in the middle of the room, you risk walking on it and falling since you can’t see where you’re going.
