Coping with jetlag in both young and old

theSun, Tue, 10 Nov 2009


IN my previous article, I gave some pointers on how to make long-haul flights with young children in tow less stressful. Here are some tips on how to cope with children suffering from jetlag.

After having survived the last 15 hours cooped up in a pressurised cabin with your child, brace yourself to face the next hurdle – jetlag. If you have travelled long haul to a place where the time difference is significant, you and your child will most likely suffer jetlag.

On long flights, you tend to get dehydrated and insufficient sleep while your body clock goes haywire. Your child gets irritable, throws tantrums and loses his appetite. So can you. It is best to be prepared for these.

If possible, get non-stop flights, or schedule your flight to coincide with your child’s sleeping time. Bring along your baby carrier or car seat to strap him into it so that you do not have to keep him on your lap or in your arms throughout the flight. This enables you to rest comfortably too.

Get started in following the local time as soon as you can. Set your watch to the local time of your destination while you are on the plane.

Be sure to keep yourself hydrated by drinking enough non-alcoholic and non-caffeinated drinks. Give your child enough fluids in the form of water, diluted juice, fruits or vegetables.

Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, do some light exercises or take short walks in the plane to get your blood circulating.

Upon arrival, get to work immediately on eating, sleeping and waking according to the local time. Opt for healthy food at mealtimes.

Exposure to sunlight helps your body naturally adjust your body clock. Try to be outdoors during daylight as much as possible. Find the nearest park and have some physical activities and stay outdoors until dinnertime if you can.

Try to get your child to nap when it is naptime according to the local clock. However, if your child is sleepy, allow him to nap but not for too long.

When it is bedtime, keep the room dark and keep the bedtime ritual and ambience similar to the one at home.

Try to nap or rest when they nap, and sleep when they sleep. This will give you the energy to attend to their needs, especially in the middle of the night. Form a tag team with your partner or other adults travelling with you so that you can take turns to get rest.

When your child wakes up at night, keep him occupied with simple, less stimulating activities. You could give him some light snacks or milk if he is hungry and make him go back to sleep as soon as possible.

He could wake in the middle of the night for the next few nights while his body is still adjusting to the local time.

While these few practical tips may help you and your child reset your body clock, it is also good to remind yourself to take things in your stride.

Do not fret too much when your child refuses to sleep or when he throws a tantrum because he is really tired. Impatience and frustration will add to the stress and make it all the more difficult to enjoy your holiday.