From experienced tourists to long-time hotel receptionists, everyone has the same advice: leave the bathroom light on when sleeping at a hotel or guesthouse. This simple deed has various benefits and could even save your life in an emergency.

Here are the advantages of leaving the bathroom light on when sleeping in a hotel or motel:

1. Prepare for emergencies

Leaving the bathroom light on while sleeping in a hotel can be a life-saving precaution in the event of an emergency.

With light coming from the bathroom, you may readily locate the exit if an unforeseen circumstance occurs, such as an accident, earthquake, fire alarm, or intruder enters your room.

Finding your way out of an unknown place with no lights on and darkness all around will be quite challenging. In a condition of fear, attempting to remain cool in order to locate your phone or the light switch will squander valuable time escape danger.

Of course, no one wants bad situations like these to happen, but it’s better to be prepared.

2. Reduce fear and anxiety

If you’re easily scared or aren’t used to sleeping in strange settings, having the bathroom light on will make you feel more comfortable. It delivers just enough light to alleviate anxiety without disrupting 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.