Everyone, from seasoned travelers to people who work in hotel front desks full-time, says the same thing: when you sleep in a hotel or hostel, leave the bathroom light on. Doing this easy thing can help you in many ways and could even save your life in an emergency. Why leaving the bathroom light on while you sleep in a hotel or motel is a good idea:

1. Get ready for the worst. In case of an emergency, leaving the bathroom light on while you sleep in a hotel can save your life. With light coming from the bathroom, it will be easy to find the door in case of an emergency, like an accident, an earthquake, a fire warning, or someone breaking into your room. If you’re in a place you don’t know and there are no lights on, it will be hard to find your way out.

When you’re scared, trying to stay calm to find your phone or the light switch will waste time that you could be using to get away from danger. Of course, no one wants these kinds of bad things to happen, but it’s better to be ready for them.

2. Lessen your worry and fear. The bathroom light on will help you feel more at ease if you get scared easily or aren’t used to sleeping in strange places. It gives off just the right amount of light to calm you down without keeping you from sleeping.

People might feel more worried and less at ease when they sleep somewhere other than their own home. Leaving the bathroom light on makes you feel safer and less likely to wake up in the middle of the night without meaning to.

3. Helps you sleep better. Some people have trouble sleeping in dark rooms, but a nightlight can be too bright and make it hard to sleep. The bathroom light should be left on if you want to get a good night’s sleep in a hotel. There will be some light, but it won’t be too bright or right in your eyes. This will help you relax and fall asleep more easily.

One more thing is that if you wake up in the middle of the night, you’ll have to look for the light, the phone, or the bathroom in the dark. This might wake you up so much that it’s hard to go back to sleep. It could also bother other people in the room.

4. Makes sure safety. You should be extra careful at night, especially if you are in a hotel room by yourself. If you leave the bathroom light on, someone who wants to do you harm might not come in. They might think you’re still awake if they see the light on, which will make them less likely to try to break in.

5. It helps you find your way and lowers the risk of crashes. If you don’t leave the bathroom light or a nightlight on, you might trip when you get up to get water or more covers because you aren’t used to how the room is set up. In addition, if you often leave your bag open in the middle of the room, you could trip and fall on it since you can’t see where you’re going.