Travelling, whether for work or leisure, can impact your sleep. For one, the journey to and from your destination can be challenging. Needing to remain seated for long periods and taking overnight flights can make it difficult to have proper rest and stick to a healthy sleep schedule. Negative effects on your sleep quality can become even more pronounced when you travel to a vastly different time zone.
Your circadian rhythm is your body’s internal clock that signals when you need to wake up or sleep. This clock is normally synced to your place of origin, so you are alert during the day and get your rest at night. When you travel to a destination across multiple time zones, you may experience jet lag, which is a disruption of your circadian rhythm. If your current time zone is several hours ahead or behind, your body may not be able to adjust its internal clock right away. As a result, you may feel fatigued during the daytime but find it hard to fall asleep come nighttime.
Even if you can easily adapt to a different time zone when you travel, the change in sleep environment can also disrupt your sleep and prevent you from having a restful slumber. Being in a different room or lying in an unfamiliar bed is enough to make you feel uncomfortable and affect how you sleep.
If you’re travelling soon and want to avoid trouble sleeping while on the trip, here are some tips you can try to have undisturbed sleep anywhere you go.
Follow a Bedtime Routine
Although you can’t take your bed along, you can bring healthy bedtime habits with you. Having a bedtime routine prepares your mind and body for sleep by doing the same relaxing activities for 30 minutes as you would if you were home. If, for example, you perform daily prayers before going to bed, continue to do it when you travel. If you are on board a flight, you can close your eyes and use earplugs to help you concentrate on your prayers. You can also try some light reading or listening to calming music, which are activities you can easily do whether you’re in transit or in a hotel room.
Watch What You Eat
What you eat and drink can affect how your body reacts to travelling so make sure you eat nutritious food that will give you ample energy. It’s also best to stay away from eating fried food as they take longer to digest and may prevent you from getting a good night’s rest. In case you are on a particular diet, notify your airline or research nearby restaurants before your trip. For instance, you can use the Muslim Pro app to look for dining options that offer halal food.
Remember to drink plenty of water before, during, and after your trip. It will keep your body energized and help reduce fatigue. It will also be better to stay away from drinking too much coffee. While it might be tempting to drink coffee to fight daytime sleepiness caused by your jetlag, the caffeine may also give you trouble with sleeping at night. If you really must have your daily cup, monitor your caffeine intake and don’t drink caffeinated beverages late in the afternoon.
Pack Things to Enhance Your Comfort
Familiarity breeds comfort so it’s a good idea to bring items that will help you get some sleep. If you are spending the night in your preferred accommodation, bring your favourite pillow or adjust the temperature of your room the way you like it when you normally sleep. You might also want to pack a pillow mist and spray some on the linen to recreate the aroma of your bedroom while you’re away.
If you have a red-eye flight and need to spend the night in transit, make sure to have things like sleep masks, earplugs, and headphones to block noise and light in the cabin. Being exposed to excess light can make it more difficult to fall asleep and mess up your circadian rhythm. If possible, bring a travel pillow or blanket to make your seat cosier.
Get Some Sunshine
In case you are travelling to a different time zone, make sure to get some morning light exposure whenever you can. It can help adjust your body’s sleep-wake cycle according to your destination’s local hours. Ideally, you get daylight exposure both in the morning and in the afternoon to establish a better sleep schedule.
If you do give in to daytime drowsiness and take a nap, make sure to keep it short and only do it in the early afternoons. When you take long naps later in the day, it can put off your bedtime or make falling asleep more difficult.
Having some trouble sleeping is common for many travellers, especially those who have long or overnight journeys. However, it’s important to have a restful sleep to stay energized and alert. If you often have difficulty sleeping when you travel, you can try out any of these tips. You’ll have a more productive and fulfilling trip when you are well-rested.
No Comments