How to Survive Jet Lag!
Jet lag can be a pain, but with some careful planning and easy tips, we can all beat jet lag and enjoy our family holiday!
Love to travel but dislike jet lag? I feel you. Jet lag is brutal for adults, let alone young children. Having landed from California a few days ago (-8 hours GMT), the jet lag is real. Travelling westbound “prolongs” the normal body clock by gaining time. However when you travel eastbound you force your body to do the opposite: staying awake when you want to sleep. You can only imagine the jet lag crossing 9 time zones from London to San Francisco.
So how do you tame jet lag with young children so you can enjoy your holiday or get back to a normal routine? Well these are my top tips, but remember what works for my family, may not work for your family.
Get Rest before the Flight
In our childless days, we used to have serious stamina where we would go from work straight onto a 13 hr flight to Singapore, or vice versa. But since becoming a parent, I am all about getting proper rest before long flights. Travelling is exhausting enough. Starting your journey exhausted is a big mistake. Be sure to get a good night’s sleep before your flight.
Book an Overnight Direct Flight
For long haul destinations, I prefer overnight direct flights so we can ‘follow’ our normal evening routine: dinner, bath, books, and sleep. We brush our teeth and get into our PJs before watching her favourite TV shows on her iPad, and then off to sleep. My daughter has always been a good sleeper even on flights, thankfully. I highly recommend wearing comfortable clothes and using eye shades and earplugs to help you get some much needed rest.
Get on the New Time Zone Pronto
Upon arrival try to get your body clock on your new time zone pronto. Easier said than done, but it definitely helps your body shift its circadian rhythm. After getting a good night’s sleep, get out the next morning early to get some fresh air and sunshine. Note to self: jet lag is the worst on the second evening as you sleep well on your first night due to pure exhaustion.
If your child needs a midday nap to get through jet-lag, limit the nap to 1 hour or less otherwise it can be a long siesta (read: disaster). If you are driving to your next destination, allowing your child to take a power nap in the car may not be a bad idea.
Keep a “Flexible” and “Relaxed” Schedule
With young children, it is advisable to keep your itinerary flexible and fairly relaxed for the first few days to adjust to the new time zone. I would not rush to go to Disneyland, for example or a long walking tour. Instead ease into by having a relaxed beach day or chilled out day. Whenever I am back in California, I always spend our first few days pottering around our parent’s house with relaxed meals and some leisurely browsing at Target, my favourite general merchandise retailer. Otherwise if we are at a beach resort, it is all about lounging around the pool.
Keep Light Snacks on Hand
In case Lady Yeya wakes up in the middle of the night hungry, I always keep some snacks nearby such as trail mix or Yo-Yo bears. Basically any non-crumbly, non-messy nutritious natural snacks will do. She’ll have her snack in the room with dimmed lights so her body does not think it is morning. Then it is a short story, quiet time, and back to bed. She may not fall asleep right away but we encourage her to rest her eyes.
Keep Hydrated
Due to the airplane’s controlled environment with 10-20% humidity, you often feel dehydrated and dry. I always use extra thick hand lotion, lip balm and night creams on flights to prevent dryness. We also drink a lot of water at the airport and fill up our water bottles after security. Staying hydrated is important to fend off jet lag for both kids and adults. Drink plenty of water, it does the body good!
* * *
Remember jet lag is temporary. The good news is that as our kiddos get older, they will be able to regulate their sleeping cues and beat jet lag in no time. Happy and safe travels!
