You’re packed and ready to go. Great! What’s more exciting than travel? But then you remember those pesky travel-related sleep troubles. Thanks to insomnia and jet lag, sleep issues can take some of the fun out that dream vacation. The good news is, you can take a few simple measures to manage your travel health and avoid sleeping issues. Vital Care Family Practice in Chesterfield Va shares 5 Ways to Avoid Insomnia and Jet Lag Symptoms.
- Shift gears. East bound? Shift your internal body clock before stepping on the plane by setting your alarm for one or two hours earlier than usual, going to bed an hour or so earlier, and even eating your meals earlier. These adjustments will make getting used to the time difference much easier. If you’re going west, make the same adjustments to your schedule, just one or two hours later. You should start making these changes three days before your flight to experience the greatest benefit to your travel health.
- Soak up the sun. Long flights can lead to the frustrating combination of daytime grogginess and nighttime insomnia. Getting outside into daylight for about 20 minutes as soon as you wake up can help your internal body clock reset to the new time zone within a couple of days, according to research by the University of Texas Houston School of Public Health.
- Consider supplements. Taking between 0.5 to 3 mg of melatonin before bed for about three days into your vacation is well-known to help regulate sleep patterns. An Italian study showed taking 50 mg of pine bark extract three times a day reduces jet lag. (Important: Always ask your doctor before taking any type of supplement!)
- Stay hydrated. Airplanes have dry air which is dehydrating and problem unto its own, plus it makes jet lag symptoms worse. Rehydrate by drinking non-caffeinated beverages like herbal tea, clear soda varieties, and ginger ale (and water, of course). Limit or avoid alcohol, coffee, regular soda, and tea with caffeine as all are dehydrating and can make insomnia worse.
- Keep things consistent. If you’re not changing time zones, you can help avoid insomnia by sticking to routines such as eating breakfast at the same time, etc. Doing so could be the key to keeping the body in sync so you’re able to wind down at bedtime.
If you still can’t sleep, you can chalk it up to your mind being on night watch. Per a report in the September 2016 issue of Dr. Oz The Good Life: “Researchers found that on the first night in a strange place, half of the brain seems to stay alert, watching out for trouble.” But after that first night, you should be able to catch some better Zs.
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