Avoid Jet Lag

Traveling to Thailand for your family vacation means you will travel across several time zones.  The further you travel from your home, the higher chance you will be affected by jet lag. Maybe you will one of the lucky persons who is not barely affected by jet lag. But what about other family members? Even if only one person in your family struggles with the affects of severe jet lag, everyone else will have to be prepared to help their sister or brother deal with jet lag. During our many trips to and from Thailand, the younger children are affected the most. The reasons may vary, but younger children just do not understand the feelings caused by jet lag. They just know they cannot control the urge to sleep in the afternoon and they feel wide awake at 3 am.

It has been said that it takes our body one day to adjust for each time that we cross during our travels. Therefore a 2 week vacation, 10 times zones away, would mean most of your vacation time is spent trying to adjust to a different time zone. That does not sound like a fun holiday to me. Minimizing the affects of jet lag is an important part of your travel planning.

What Can You Do?

Many flights to Asia from the Americas or Europe operate only once a day, so you may not have much choice about the time of day that you travel. I recommend you leave as early in the morning as possible. You will then arive in Asia in the evening of the following day. You should then be ready to sleep through most of the night and then wake refreshed for the day. Even with a full nights sleep, you will likely feel tired by early evening. Do your best to stay awake until your normal bedtime.

During your flight, avoid drinking alcohol. Alcohol only compounds the dehydration of your body due to the pressurized cabin. Instead, drink plenty of water throughout the flight.

Get out of your seat and move around as much as possible. Let your children move around, too. Do not be concerned that moving around disturbs the other passengers. As long as they are not running and screaming down the aisles, the other passengers will not be offended by the movement of your children.

When you board your first flight, set your watch to the local time at your destination. Do your best to sleep during the nighttime hours at your destination. This will help your body begin adjusting to the new time zone even before you arrive.

Is Melatonin the Answer?

Melatonin is sometimes used by frequent travelers who travel back and forth across time zones. Melatonin is a natural hormone which is produced by the pineal gland in our brains, and helps us know when to sleep and when to wake up. However, before taking melatonin or giving it to your children, consult with your family physician.

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