You know how it is when you have had a particular type of environment grow on you, then suddenly you have to switch sides or spaces or places? Yes, it’s one of the hardest things. One thing that bugs me the most is changing to a new environment, of any kind. Be it homes, schools, job location, etc. I find it really difficult to get used to a new space, I remain uncomfortable for a stretch of time and it reduces my productivity.
Recently, I saw a post about why we find it difficult to sleep in a new environment. It turns out that the brain is on high alert. It knows every little inch of the floor, every sound from the fridge, and where the doors are. Our brain knows everything is safe. But in a new environment, those cues aren't there for the brain, everything is foreign and strange. So, instead of shutting down to deep sleep, it stays a bit more alert, scanning for any possible dangers. This inability to sleep in a new environment is called First Night Effects (FNE).
Now because of this issue, I dislike going to new places, taking long strolls, traveling, anything at all that involves a whole lot of new places. But there are times when I don’t have any choice and all I can do is suck it up and actually go through it. I try to take things that make me comfortable, like a book I may be reading, my devices, etc. This actually ensures that I can at least get a shut eye in the new place. Another nightmare for me is having to use the restroom at this new place. My God, I can not overstate how strange and weird that feels for me, it can prevent me from actually eating well, so that I don’t get to use the restroom, even if it is neat and smells like roses and chocolates.
But then again, I have been transferred to different schools, switched homes, changed work places, etc. I also know that these things are all a matter of time and in a matter of a few days to a couple weeks, the mind will have adjusted with great speed, getting used to new smells, sounds, scenery, feel of the new environment, even the faces of people and their weird activities or schedule.
This is one of those things in life we don't actually have control over, your body sometimes has a mind of its own and can put you in a difficult situation but as humans, we are nothing short of adaptable and I've learnt to be just that when the situation calls for it.
The penitself.