Tackling Travel Tiredness

Here, with some expertise from mattress brand, Leesa’s Richard Tucker, Inspired Travel explains the ways in which you can beat jet lag and restore your sleeping pattern while on your journeys

Whether you have been on holiday or away on business, hopping between time zones can mean that getting back into a good sleep routine can be a struggle. Jet lag can be a monster and can manifest itself in the desperate desire to sleep or the complete inability to drop off. Sometimes, the impact of jetting across the world can leave you more exhausted than before you left.

Richard said: “Our bodies are creatures of habit, with the times we eat and sleep playing a pivotal role in how we function throughout the day, but jet lag can disrupt this and wreak havoc on our body clock. Your mattress plays a pivotal role in helping you get a good night’s sleep and overcome the jet lag.  The Leesa mattress has a combination of three unique layers of foam, which provide you with the support your body needs for the perfect night sleep. Alongside its supportive benefits, the Leesa mattress has a top layer of Avena® foam, which has a specially designed airflow system to prevent heat retention, keeping you cool during hot nights.”

Once you have the perfect setting to slumber, here are some tips to help you tackle your travel tiredness.

Wind down

Your body may think it’s the middle of the afternoon, but in reality, it’s 1am and you need to get some sleep. As tempting as it is to sit scrolling social media before bed, put the blue screen down and relax without an electronic device. Ensuring your bedroom is tailor made to promote good sleep is also of paramount importance and this all begins with a good mattress. Leesa mattresses are designed to help you sleep better. Each mattress is made from a combination of three unique layers of foam which work together to deliver a mattress with ‘universal adaptive feel’, adapting to your body to provide the perfect support for you and a better night’s sleep. 

Time-zone tiredness

To help prevent you from drifting off at your desk, it is important to make sure that you put yourself in the correct time-zone in advance. Moving your bedtime slightly can make a big difference. If you’re flying east to get home, go to bed earlier. If you’re flying west, move your bedtime later.

Curb the caffeine craving

It may be tempting to fuel yourself on tea and coffee, however it will only worsen your jet lag in the long run. The key to a goodnights sleep is to stay hydrated and avoid alcohol. With the effects of altitude increasing dehydration and tiredness, a glass of wine to help send you off to sleep may not be worth it. 

Draw on daylight                                      

As tempting as it is to draw the curtains and embrace your inner vampire, one of the most effective ways to stay awake is to get outdoors. Daylight stops the secretion of melatonin, which is often referred to as the sleep hormone. So instead of staying inside washing all your holiday clothes, embrace the English weather and imagine you’re still on the beach.

Keep your shades on

If daylight can keep you awake, darkness has the opposite effect. Although you may feel like you’re channelling your inner Victoria Beckham, keep your sunglasses on if it’s the evening in your future destination. By doing this, you are tricking your body to think it’s the evening and will find it much easier to nod off.

Keep on moving

As easy as it is to slip back into old eating habits and ditch the pre-holiday health regime when you arrive home, exercise is a great way to stay awake during the day as it releases endorphins, keeping you energised for the rest of the day. Similarly, small exercises can also help you through your flight. Don’t stay slumped in your chair, get up and stretch your legs and improve your circulation (you’ll also be reducing your risk of deep vein thrombosis).

Snooze on the plane 

Although this may seem impossible when a small child is kicking the back of your chair, If it’s the evening at your destination, try and sleep on the plane. Invest in accessories such as ear plugs and an eye mask to block out distractions and some comfy clothes to help you nod off. This will hopefully stop you napping at your future destination and wasting an evening away.

Design your diet 

Plane food tends to be heavy and carbohydrate based, which can leave you feeling lethargic. This is great for flying back from the Maldives in the East. However, if you need to stay awake opt for something lighter so you’re not at risk of nodding off.

Back to the future

Another way to sync your body to the correct time is to change your watch/clock to your destination’s time zone as soon as you step foot on the plane. By doing this, you are psychologically preparing yourself for the time change.

Adjust your flight time 

Check your flight times. Although most of us will be attracted by cheaper flight, try and avoid landing in the morning/evening. This way you are avoiding drifting off mid lunch or laying wide awake at 3am