Traveling is an essential part of our lives, but long trips by road, rail, or even on long-haul flights can be a challenge when it comes to catching up on sleep. Traveling across time zones can be exhausting, and jet lag can leave you feeling sleep deprived. Catching those ZZs while on the go can make your travel experience more refreshing.
Sleeping during travel is a great way to make the most of the travel duration, leading to improved mental health and overall wellbeing. However, there are some inevitable challenges that come with travel-sleep. Experts say following safe sleep positions, carrying a travel-sleep kit and many more may help you sleep better on the move.
Every kind of travel is different, says Dr Ronen Roy, director, Orthopaedics, Fortis Hospital Kolkata. He says, “The head and neck are the most vulnerable to injury when muscles are relaxed.” The most important thing is to support your neck and head while sleeping.
Managing your sleep during the journey
Sleeping for air miles
Air travel can be really tiring and can make it hard to get enough rest. Dr Roy suggests while in a flight, one can put the tray table down, rest the arms and head on the tray. He says, “It’s not a good idea to let your head droop forward, as you could wake up with a sore neck or be hurt if you bump into the front seat.” The best way to sleep is on your back or side, or if the seat is next to the window, you could lean on it.
“C-shaped travel pillows or specially padded ones on the sides can make all the difference in keeping you in a safe posture and preventing your head from falling to the left or right,” he added. He also recommends carrying sponge ear plugs for noise cancelling and eye shades for blocking out light, which can disrupt sleep. If your neck gets stiff after rest, carrying a pain killing gel as well as muscle relaxants could be of help.
To help with jet lag, timing your sleep according to where you’re going is advisable so your circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle) can be adjusted. Melatonin can even help in some cases.
How to get a good night’s sleep on the road: Trains and Buses
In a train, space is not an issue as there is a bunk or berth where passengers can lie flat. Noise and motion of the train are the two things that cause motion sickness. Dr Roy explains that motion sickness can be avoided by using air plugs or prescribed medications.
In an overnight bus, there are sleeping berths or recliner seats like in an airline economy class seat. “For older or taller passengers, turning to one side in narrow seats can be difficult, so choosing a spacious seat could be a good solution,” says Dr Roy
How to get a good night’s sleep while on the ship
As a sailor, Aniket Chaudhary, 35, 2nd Engineer at IMC Ship Management, Singapore told Happiest Health that the best way to catch some ZZs on the ship is to sleep whenever they get a chance. He says, “Lack of sleep onboard can lead to physical and mental exhaustion, so whenever I get a chance, I try to get as much rest as I can, and regular exercise is key to staying fit and healthy.”
Explaining the experience on the ship he says that work hours vary, and they end up getting a few hours of break during the day or during the changing shifts. “Overall, we might get around 5-6 hours of sleep per day,” he says. Changing time zones on a ship does not affect the sleep quality as the ship’s clock advances gradually, i.e., one hour a day, which does not affect the ship’s schedule.
On the other hand, during sailing, the ship rolls a lot because of waves and heavy winds, which adds to the sleep troubles. Even though 7-8 hours of sleep can be achieved on the ship, the quality of sleep is compromised.
Travel-Sleep Kit: What should I pack?
Before you start your journey, as a pre-requisite it is important to wear clothes that are loose, breathable and add extra layers if it’s cold, says Dr Suhas HS, consultant, pulmonologist at Manipal Hospital, Bengaluru.
Experts suggests the following to be part of the Travel-Sleep kit:
- Compact or inflatable pillow
- Spongy earplugs or noise cancellation headphones
- Sleep mask or eye shades to cover eyes
- Soothing audio tracks
- Water bottle
- Snacks which are healthy and easy to carry
- Sleep bed liners or personal bed sheet
How to manage travel related motion sickness?
Symptoms of motion sickness include nausea and ‘an unexplainable discomfort’ while moving.
Here are some tips recommended by Dr Suhas on how to prevent motion sickness from getting worse:
- Avoid heavy meals
- On long journeys, if possible, take frequent breaks
- During road travels, you can stop your car aside and open your windows for fresh air
- Keep motion to a minimum: Sit in front of a car, take a seat near to the wings of an aircraft, or in the middle of a boat
- Try to sleep: Try to get distracted from ‘feeling sick’ while moving
- Don’t read books or watch movies during the trip-this can lead to tired eyes
- Avoid strong odours, especially petrol or diesel, and air conditioning
- Listen to audiobooks as a mindful way to reduce motion sensitivity
- Talk to your doctor about medications that help with motion sickness.
