How do you get over jetlag quickly? Do you just sleep when your body wants to? Or do you force yourself to adjust to local time immediately? For me it’s a combination of both.
I find travelling with the clock is easier than travelling against it.
Whenever I travel it’s usually over several time zones, therefore the adjustment is bigger. They say that it takes a day for every hour to adjust. I don’t believe that’s the case. At least not for me. Usually I’m pretty well adjusted within about 4 days.
The first day I try to stay up until local bedtime, eating at mealtimes and having plenty of good coffee. After that I am able to stay up but find myself waking in the night. When this happens, instead of fighting it I just go with it. I sleep with the computer very close by and if I wake up, I’ll work for a little while, sometimes up to an hour, this usually makes me sleepy again and I’ll go back to sleep. Reading does the same thing.
This trip I did this a few times. It works because you can speak to home and get the news then go back to sleep.
I don’t nap during the day, ever. I have coffee whenever I think I need it because I know my body will win anyway and I will sleep.
When it comes to kids I’m not as strict. If they need to sleep I let them. But just a nap because otherwise they won’t sleep at night. They get so tired with the travelling and this makes them cranky and whiny so I’m happy for a break. If they have a sleep it’s really ok.
We have a bit of time before school starts so we’ll adjust.
Yesterday was a bit of a write off but we all slept well last night and got up at a more reasonable time this morning, so we’re on our way back to normal.