What is jet lag like for children, and will mine get it?
Children experiencing jet lag may struggle with fatigue, headaches, difficulty falling asleep or waking up, issues with concentration and generally feeling unwell. Some lose their appetite and get tummy aches. Others, particularly girls, might feel sick and dizzy.
If you're crossing more than one time zone (there are 24 time zones on the world map) or flying for more than eight hours then yes, your children will likely have jet lag. However, all children differ. Like travel sickness, people who get jet lag tend to get it repeatedly, whereas others barely notice it.
Why does jet lag happen?
Jet lag is a mismatch between the body's circadian rhythm (internal clock) and the real time in the place you've arrived. Travel fatigue (from travelling to and from the airport, hanging around, and time in the air) usually plays a big part in jet lag symptoms in adults and children and goes unrecognised. It is often compounded by travel sickness for children and pregnant women.
Despite the challenges of both jet lag and travel fatigue, a little preparation can happily reduce their impact.
How to help yourself or your children pre-travel
One effective strategy is to adjust your family's bedtime three to four days before a trip. Depending on your direction of travel, this can significantly reduce the jet lag. For example, sleeping earlier for a few days can be beneficial if you're travelling east.
For adults this should be combined with waking earlier, but I suggest a longer sleep for children to prepare for travel fatigue rather than waking them early. Instead increasing daytime activity on the days before the trip will help them sleep longer.
How to help prevent jet lag while in the air
Remember that staying hydrated is an effective method of combating jet lag.
Encourage your children to drink plenty of water and give other hydrating foods and drinks, like coconut water or fruits, especially at the airport. Avoid sugary drinks, energy drinks, and using sweets to combat boredom as this can disrupt sleep patterns.
As soon as you board the plane, it's worth getting them into your new time zone.
Change your watch and get your children to nap according to the time at your destination. This should go smoothly if you have changed their routine a few days before you fly. If you do want them to sleep onboard, bring comforters and equipment to help them get into a sleeping position. Many cheap pull-outs allow a little person to lie flat on their seat. For babies, book the aeroplane's bassinet in advance because there are only a few bassinet holding spaces per aeroplane.
How to help once at destination
During your first two days, try to adjust to the new time zone by following its day-night cycle. If it's day but your body thinks it's night, you'll need to stay awake, and I recommend swimming or walking. Often people will nap and let their children sleep during the first day because they're too tired to do tourist activities. This is a bad idea. It can prolong jet lag for days.
Instead, acknowledge in advance that you may not feel like doing touristy things and plan to do something boring on the first day- if you don’t plan this you might not be able to think of what to do because of your jet lag brain! – for example your default could be to walk pointlessly around town and expose them to natural light. If they must sleep, then at least ensure it's outside in a pram and not in a dark room.
If you do accidentally fall asleep in the day at your destination then your body will think it's day during the night, and you'll have trouble sleeping. When this happens meditation apps can be helpful, along with melatonin supplements for adults (though the data on their efficacy is mixed). Keep in mind these supplements are prescription only in the UK, and they are not licenced for children without special needs, teens, or pregnant women.
Jet lag prevention can be especially important in babies or children who need timed medications. Let us serve you at the Childrenstraveldoc.com
Happy travels