By Sharon Brock, MS, MEd

Before we go on a big trip, we plan itineraries, book sightseeing tours, and search for the best restaurants. However, we don’t always plan how to achieve quality sleep, which is crucial for getting the most out of our vacation.

When it comes to sleep and travel, there are so many factors to consider: How many time zones are we crossing? Are we traveling eastward or westward? How long will we be in the new time zone?  To make sleep a priority for our next trip, sleep physician Cheri D. Mah, MD, MS, offers insights and tips on how to get a good night’s sleep while traveling, as well as what to do before, during, and after the flight to help combat jet lag.

“Most people just jump on an airplane and then try to adjust their body clock after they arrive, which is not really a plan,” says Dr. Mah, co-head of the Stanford Lifestyle Medicine Restorative Sleep pillar. “Instead, we can be more proactive in our thinking about sleep when we travel and strategically make adjustments.”

What to Do Before the Flight

It takes approximately one day per time zone for the inner clock to shift, so if you’re traveling eastward across three time zones (such as from California to New York), it could take three days for the body to adjust. To mitigate the jet lag effect, Dr. Mah recommends adjusting our sleep schedules to shift our body clock closer to the destination’s time zone.

“Let’s say you typically sleep between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. If you’re traveling east, I recommend going to bed an hour earlier and getting up an hour earlier every day a few days before your trip, so you’ll only have to adjust for one or two time zones rather than three after you arrive. If you’re traveling west, you can try the opposite strategy—going to bed and waking up an hour later,” says Dr. Mah. “You also don’t want to start your trip sleep deprived, so be sure to get sufficient hours of sleep for several nights leading up to your flight.”

What to Do During the Flight

Whenever we are sleeping away from our own bed, such as on a plane, Dr. Mah recommends creating an environment that is dark, quiet, cool, and comfortable. Therefore, we should bring an eye mask and earplugs on the flight and wear cool, comfortable clothing.

Once we board the plane, we can consider the time zone of our destination and plan how we will spend the next few hours. It’s essential to stay hydrated throughout the flight by drinking plenty of water and avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and sugary beverages. We can also have a more restful flight if we avoid watching high-action or horror movies that could stimulate the mind, and instead choose relaxing entertainment, such as listening to music or reading a book.

Dr. Mah recommends that we adjust our sleeping and eating times to the new time zone during the flight; therefore, it’s essential to bring snacks in case we are asleep when meals are delivered to our seats.

“A lot of people get onto a plane without a strategy. They just have a glass of wine and binge-watch movies, or they try to sleep the entire flight,” says Dr. Mah. “I recommend being more thoughtful about when you sleep and eat and try to get into alignment with the new time zone during the flight to reduce jet lag symptoms after you arrive.”

What to Do After the Flight

To get synced with the new time zone quickly, Dr. Mah recommends if you are traveling eastward getting sun exposure and drinking caffeine in the morning hours and avoiding light in the evening. If we feel an energy lull during the day, take a short 20-to-30-minute power nap, get some exercise, or drink caffeine (as long as it’s at least 10 hours before the new time zone’s bedtime).

Dr. Mah also recommends if traveling eastward, you can consider taking melatonin 30 to 60 minutes before the new bedtime for the first couple of days of the vacation.

“In general, melatonin is not that effective when used in the same time zone, but research shows that it’s effective when you’re crossing time zones and trying to shift the body clock, especially when traveling eastward,” says Dr. Mah. “You also need to be careful in that a lot of over-the-counter melatonin does not accurately represent what the label says, so it’s important to be mindful of the melatonin you use.”

First Night Effect

Along with adjusting to the new time zone, we also need to create a familiar sleep space in our hotel rooms to ensure quality sleep. Research shows that the left side of the brain stays more alert in new environments compared to when we are at home in a familiar setting. This physiological response is likely a protective mechanism that ensures our new environment is safe enough for us to fall into a deep sleep.

To override this “first night effect,” Dr. Mah recommends returning to the same hotel or hotel chain when traveling so that your nervous system doesn’t have to adjust to a new environment. If staying at the same hotel is not possible, she recommends bringing items from your home bedroom to create a sense of familiarity in the hotel room.

“If you consistently wear an eye mask before going to bed at home, putting on the same mask while traveling will send a cue to your brain that it’s time for sleep,” says Dr. Mah. “Any item that would make the hotel environment more familiar can help. For example, if you spritz lavender spray on your pillow or keep a photo of a loved one on your bedside table at home, bringing these items with you as you travel can help you feel more relaxed and safer.”

What to Include in a Travel Sleep Kit

While packing for a big trip, Dr. Mah reminds us not to forget essential items that can help us overcome jet lag quickly and get quality sleep in our new environments.

Travel sleep kit packing list:

• Eye mask: to block out light on the plane and in the hotel room (especially if you wear one at home).
• Earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones: to block out noise on the plane and in the hotel room. Or a music player/smartphone with headphones to listen to relaxing music or a meditation (especially if that’s what you do at home).
• Travel pillow: for comfort on the plane or in the hotel room. For added familiarity, you can bring pillowcases from home to cover hotel room pillows.
• Melatonin: to take 30 to 60 minutes before the bedtime of the new time zone (especially when traveling eastward).
• Curtain clips: to keep the curtains closed in hotel rooms.
• Light-blocking stickers: to eliminate device lights in the hotel room.
• Journal and pen: writing a to-do list before bed can help relieve anxiety.

Optional (if you use these at home):

• White noise machine: to mask noise disruptions at the hotel.
• Air filter: to reduce allergy symptoms, if you have them.
• Humidifier: to maintain a relative humidity level between 30 and 50 percent, which is most conducive for sleep.

“It’s helpful to get portable versions of the sleep tools you use at home so that you can bring them with you while traveling,” says Dr. Mah. “Sleep tools and technologies continue to improve. We are already seeing advancements such as white noise machines that are adaptive, ear buds that offer white noise, and even temperature-control mats that can be used during travel. It’s exciting to see what’s to come.”