How to Beat Jet Lag with a Young Family
Jet lag is hard enough for adults. For young children, whose body clocks run on naps, meals and bedtime routines, a five- or eight-hour time difference can unsettle a whole holiday. The good news is that most children adapt faster than their parents, and a few simple tactics make the first days much easier.
Before you go
- Choose flight times with jet lag in mind. Flying west (to the US or Caribbean), a daytime flight that lands in the late afternoon works well: the excitement of arriving and exploring keeps children going until a slightly early local bedtime. Coming home eastbound, an overnight flight usually suits families best, as children can sleep through most of it.
- Shift bedtime gradually. In the three or four days before departure, move bedtime 15 to 30 minutes towards the new time zone each night. It won't remove jet lag, but it takes the edge off.
- Plan a gentle first day. Keep big-ticket activities, such as a theme park or a long excursion, for day three or later. Nobody enjoys an expensive day out while fighting sleep.
On arrival
- Use a short power nap, then wake them. A nap in the car or buggy on the way to your accommodation can rescue an exhausted toddler. Keep it to 30 to 45 minutes; let it run longer and they may sleep until 2am.
- Get outside in daylight. Natural light is the strongest signal for resetting the body clock. Spend as much of the first day as possible outdoors: a walk, the beach or the pool.
- Switch to local meal times straight away. Eating at local times helps the body adjust. Keep a few snacks in the room for early wake-ups, so breakfast isn't a battle.
- Burn off energy in the afternoon. Swimming, a playground or a walk around town helps children feel genuinely tired at the new bedtime.
Handling the nights
- Keep night wakings dull. Low light, quiet voices and no screens. If a child wakes ready to play at 3am, treat it as night-time: a drink, a cuddle and back to bed.
- Offer a light bedtime snack. A small, filling snack helps when their body thinks it's lunchtime in the middle of the night.
- Let bedtime drift a little later when flying west. A slightly later bedtime can push the morning wake-up back, although some children will still be up with the sunrise whatever you do.
- Don't panic if the first few nights are bumpy. Most young children settle within three or four days. You're on holiday, so a sunrise breakfast on the balcony isn't the worst thing that can happen.
Coming home
Eastbound jet lag (coming back to the UK from the Americas) is usually harder than the outward trip. If you can, leave a spare day at home before school or work starts again. Get outside in the morning light, keep naps short and return to your normal routine as quickly as possible.
Every family is different
Some children cope best when kept awake until local bedtime; others do better with a proper sleep on arrival. You know your own children best, so use these ideas as a starting point and adjust as you go. For more on the journey itself, see our tips for flying with young children.