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Sleep disturbances always accompany long-distance travel, which can pose a serious challenge for the body. Enduring temporary sleep difficulties is easier for an adult than for a child. The little one often falls asleep during the day in a new place and cannot sleep at night. Parents attempting to establish a routine often face protests and tantrums. In this post, I will guide you on how to assist your child in coping with jet lag and how much time to allocate for preparing for a flight to ensure a smooth experience.
What is jet lag?
Rapidly crossing several time zones can cause a sleep disorder known as jet lag. It takes time for the body to adjust its internal biological clock to a new day-night cycle. Along with sleep problems, this adjustment period can also bring headaches, digestive problems, excessive irritability, or lethargy.
The duration of symptoms depends on the number of time zones crossed and the direction of travel:
- A difference of more than four hours is significant, while a difference of up to two hours is not significant and does not require prior preparation.
- A flight from west to east is more taxing than a flight from east to west, and adaptation to a new time zone takes longer in this case.
How do children cope with changing time zones?
Older children are more susceptible to the effects of jet lag compared to infants under a year old who handle it more easily. A newborn’s internal biological clock operates on its own rhythm and is not yet synchronized with the environment. Circadian rhythms start to develop in babies around four months old and become more stable at ten months old.
Hence, for babies under four months old, the distinction between day and night is insignificant, and they will barely notice the time zone change. Even for infants aged 4-10 months, coping with jet lag is much easier compared to adults.
The immature adaptive mechanisms of children over a year old make them more vulnerable to the syndrome of changing time zones. It is therefore advisable to prepare a child in advance for a change in routine.
When and how to adjust a child’s routine before a long flight
As a general rule, adults typically require two to three days to prepare themselves for a change in routine. However, when it comes to children, it is advisable to gradually shift their bedtime and wake-up time earlier.
The timing for initiating preparation varies based on the time difference involved. For instance, if the time difference is more than seven hours, it will take at least two weeks to adjust. On the other hand, a time difference of four hours may require only a week for adaptation. It is crucial to factor in the child’s ability to adjust to the new routine, and hence, it is recommended to plan with extra time as a precaution.
Flight to the West
For instance, let’s consider the scenario of traveling from Moscow to Toronto, where the time difference between the two cities is eight hours. In this case, our biological clock will be ahead of the destination time, and we need to adjust it accordingly. To do this, it’s recommended to go to bed and wake up 20 minutes later than usual, gradually increasing the time by an additional 15-20 minutes each day.
After the first night of following this routine, the child may wake up at their usual time but may experience some slight sleep deprivation. However, it’s not advisable to overcompensate this by providing extended daytime naps. Within two to three nights, the child should start waking up slightly later than their usual time.
Nevertheless, some children may stubbornly continue waking up at their usual time, especially those below one and a half years of age. In such cases, this technique may take longer to take effect or may not work at all.
Flight to the East
Consider the scenario where we are traveling from Moscow to Tokyo, where the time difference is six hours. In this case, our biological clock needs to adjust to the destination time, and we need to “catch up” with it. To achieve this, it’s recommended to go to bed and wake up 20 minutes earlier than usual, reducing an additional 15-20 minutes from the regular bedtime and wake-up time each day.
During the first few nights, the child may fall asleep at their usual time. However, since waking up in the morning will be earlier, sleep deprivation may set in by the third night, causing the child to fall asleep slightly earlier than their usual bedtime.
In both cases, the following should be taken into account:
- The recommended daily sleep duration and sleep distribution between daytime and nighttime should remain consistent. This means that the daytime sleep schedule should shift in parallel with the adjusted bedtime and wake-up time in the evening and morning, respectively, while maintaining the same overall sleep duration.
- Parents should consider the child’s temperament and excitability level during the schedule adjustment process. If the child is prone to overstimulation, it may be beneficial to shift the schedule by 10 minutes instead of the recommended 20 minutes.
- Children who are at least one year old can usually handle a schedule shift of 30-60 minutes effectively. This can facilitate a quicker adaptation to the new time zone and help them to get closer to the destination time.
If the time difference is significant, adjusting the schedule completely in advance may be impossible. However, partially adjusting the schedule to the new time can significantly facilitate adaptation.
Furthermore, fully adjusting the schedule may even complicate matters because the child will need to readjust to their previous sleep and wake-up times upon returning home.
If the family is staying in the new place for more than a month, there will be ample time to prepare for the return flight and shift the schedule in the opposite direction. For shorter travel periods, the schedule will need to be adjusted at home.
What else can help a child when changing time zones?
Choose a suitable flight time for the child
Many parents prefer night flights for long trips, hoping that their child will sleep through the flight. However, not all children can easily fall asleep in unfamiliar surroundings. In such cases, the night flight and subsequent day in the new time zone can be challenging experiences for both the child and parents.
Therefore, it is crucial to take the child’s needs into account when planning the flight. If the child does not sleep well during travel, it may be more beneficial to take a daytime or morning flight that arrives in the evening. This way, the child can go to bed soon after arrival.
Take a piece of home with you
Children typically prefer stability and may be resistant to change. Having a familiar bedtime routine can significantly aid in falling asleep, which is why it’s important to bring a favorite blanket and toy on the trip.
Start living according to the local daylight immediately
It is recommended to spend as much time as possible outdoors while it is still light outside and to keep indoor lights bright.
When it comes to bedtime, it’s essential to establish a routine and encourage the child to go to bed at the appropriate time, even if they are not initially keen on it. Activities that calm the child should be prioritized, and active games should be avoided. In the morning, it’s important to ensure that the child wakes up at the right time, whether naturally or with assistance.
Avoiding overly long daytime naps
To achieve this, parents can create conditions that help the child wake up, such as opening the curtains and making regular noise. This will help avoid the child compensating for a lack of sleep with a daytime nap, which can subsequently delay bedtime.
Monitoring the child’s diet
Feeding plays a crucial role in establishing a daily rhythm. It’s best to maintain the same meal schedule as at home, but according to the local time. The same principle applies to other familiar rituals.
Remember
- Infants under the age of one can quickly adjust to a different time zone, while children who are one year or older are more susceptible to jet lag due to their less developed adaptive mechanisms.
- A time difference of four or more hours is considered critical, whereas a difference of up to two hours is not significant and does not require any preparation.
- It is advisable to begin adjusting the child’s routine about two weeks before the flight.
- Overcompensating for nighttime sleep deprivation with lengthy daytime naps is not recommended.
- Upon arrival in a new time zone, it is best to follow the local time from the first day.
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