Hotels Bring In New Strategies For Better Night's Sleep

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Whether you stay at a hotel for business or vacation, getting a good night's sleep can be tough.

But as CBS News' Karina Mitchell reported, the hospitality industry is now taking note, implementing strategies to ensure guests can snooze soundly.

Frequent traveler Marc Weill said he has trouble getting to sleep in hotels.

"If I do it in the wrong way, I feel terrible," he said.

But now thanks to a new sleep program at the Benjamin, a boutique hotel at 125 E. 50th St., Marc Weill said bedtime is like a dream come true.

"I' travel a lot all over the country, and this is the best I've ever found," he said.

He even said he now thinks about sleep a lot.

Dr. Rebecca Robbins is an author and sleep expert at the hotel and helped develop the new program for guests.

"The sleep experience - we want it to be one that is fantastic and not necessarily in your face," Robbins said. "We want the guest to have the best night sleep… maybe even in their life."

Options include bedtime snacks, and an extensive menu featuring a selection of pillows filled with water – some that even play lullaby music.

"I like the buckwheat pillows and the firmness of their mattresses," Weill said. "That's what works for me."

Robbins noted that the trends have changed.

"For so long, the industry was giving chocolates on the pillows and having things that would be the worst thing that you could do before bed," she said. "So there is definitely an industry shift."

Hotels across the country, including Marriott and Conrad properties, have similar programs – with sleep amenities ranging from aromatherapy and bedtime books for kids even to blackout blinds.

Benjamin Hotel General manager Steve Sasso said customizing sleep options isn't just good for guests – it's good for business.

"Today's travelers are looking for unique experiences, and this provides it for them," Sasso said.

Research finds about 70 percent of Americans are sleep deprived. Experts suggest apart from finding the right pillow for you, introducing neutral tones in the bedroom and eating small pre-bedtime snacks like granola can all help you sleep better.