AAA estimates that 122.4 million Americans will travel by car, air, bus, train or cruise at least 50 miles from home this holiday season. But while it’s always great to travel to gather and celebrate with loved ones, it can be a draining experience that leaves you tired for days on end — especially if you’re crossing time zones and coping with jet lag.
If you want to get quality sleep this holiday season so you can remain fresh and present and avoid dozing off during festivities, there are the sleep tips you’ll want to follow while traveling.
Why do we feel tired after traveling?
Travel fatigue is the physical manifestation of travel grievances. It can happen in the event of things like having anxiety about flying on a plane, stress from planning, long layovers, delayed flights or lack of sleep during travel. Although you’re mentally drained, travel fatigue can make it more difficult to get restful sleep.
Why would someone be tired after a trip abroad?
Aside from travel fatigue, jet lag during travel can also make it a struggle to achieve quality sleep. Jet lag is a temporary sleeping disorder that develops when you cross time zones, and your body is thrown out of whack from its regular sleep-wake cycle.
Our body heavily depends on outside factors like sundown, sunrise and eating times to regulate the release of melatonin. As a result, your body has a difficult time readjusting during travel, leaving you feeling tired and having difficulty concentrating.
How to sleep better while traveling
Combat travel fatigue, jet lag and uncomfortable sleeping circumstances by following these tips.
1. Prepare your body for the new schedule
Starting three days before you go, set your bedtime an hour later (depending on the time zone of where you’re traveling) each day. This will help your body become accustomed to the new time change you’ll experience in a few days, allowing you to fall asleep at a reasonable time when you’re away.
An exception to this rule: If you expect to be gone across time zones for only two days, stick to your regular sleeping schedule. By the time you adjust to the new time, you’ll be getting ready to head back home.
2. Do as the locals do
Once you arrive at your destination, try to sync up with their schedule. When people are awake in the morning and going about their daily lives, you should be, too. When the people around you are gearing up for bed, you should be about ready to sleep, as well. Unless your stay is two days long, this will help your body readjust, even if it means you’ll be half-asleep at dinner.
It might be tough, but you’ll want to adapt to your local time by starting and ending your day when the locals do.
PeopleImages/Getty Images3. Pack comfy
Pack your comfiest clothes for travel and a good quality pillow to sleep with, if possible, to fit inside your suitcase. Loose-fitting fabrics can help you feel comfortable while traveling long distances, which is key if you’re hoping to get some sleep on the road.
A pillow can also make it easier to fall asleep. Bring a standard pillow for the back seat of a car or a C-shaped pillow to wrap around your neck while on a plane or train.
4. If you have to stay awake, keep moving
Like light, body temperature also plays an important role in regulating our sleep-wake cycles. If your body temperature is higher, it’s a signal that it’s time to wake up. It’s a reason why hot sleepers can have trouble getting quality sleep if they’re too warm. By keeping your body in motion and your heart rate elevated, you can help combat the grogginess and fatigue that often accompany travel.
5. Eat nutritiously and drink water
Staying hydrated and eating well while traveling not only helps you remain fueled for different stages of travel but also prevents you from feeling hungry or thirsty if you need to doze off on the plane or in the car.
6. Use light to your advantage
The sun is a signal to our circadian rhythm that it’s time to be awake, and the night tells us it’s time for sleep.
If you travel from west to east, the best times of day for light exposure are late morning and late afternoon. That way, you stay awake and vigilant during the day, but you give your body the chance to wind down into the nighttime. If you travel from west to east, stay in the sun until evening to help adjust to the new time zone.
Embrace the sun on your travels to keep your circadian rhythm in check.
Delmaine Donson/Getty Images7. Avoid alcohol on your first day
Hear me out. As fun as it is to get a drink on the airplane on the way to your destination or at dinner when you arrive, alcohol messes with your sleep-wake cycle. This is something you want to avoid during your first day of getting acclimated to the new time.
8. Avoid caffeine and nicotine
Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that will make your body feel like it wants to be awake. Caffeine can stay in your system for up to five to six hours, making you feel wired when you should be winding down for bed. Nicotine, on the other hand, causes cravings and has no time limit. That means you can be lying awake in bed feeling tired, but your body stays awake wanting more nicotine.
9. Use natural sleep aids
Melatonin is always an option, but I’m always wary of recommending it because it can mess with your body’s natural production of melatonin. As an alternative, consider using natural sleep aids to help you fall asleep at night, like herbal tea or CBD oil.
