Table of contents:
- Tips for sleeping well during long distance travel
- 1. Wear comfortable clothes
- 2. Wear an eye mask and earplugs
- 3. Position the body correctly
- 4. Wake up before arriving at their destination
- Preparations before long trips
Sleeping soundly when traveling long distances is difficult. Even though quality sleep is useful for keeping your condition fit when you arrive at your destination. Getting a good night's sleep during the trip is also very important to maintain a good sleep rhythm, especially if you travel at night.
"Everyone has an optimal period when the body wants to fall asleep, usually around 11.00 pm to 07.00 am. This period is called the "circadian rhythm" or the body's biological clock, "says Charlene Gamaldo, medical director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep.
"And any time you travel long distances, especially across different time zones, it can have a negative effect on your circadian rhythm," continued Gamaldo.
Tips for sleeping well during long distance travel
It is indeed difficult to condition the body to fall asleep properly in a vehicle seat, be it in a car, bus, train or plane. It's just that, that doesn't mean you can't get quality sleep.
To be able to get quality sleep during your trip you need to adjust several conditions. Here are some things you can do to get a good quality sleep during a long trip.
1. Wear comfortable clothes
When traveling long distances wear looser clothes. Try to choose clothes with materials that make your skin comfortable and absorb sweat.
When getting ready for bed, take off your shoes or at least loosen the laces. Wear blankets made of cotton or wool, avoid blankets polyester synthetic (artificial fiber).
2. Wear an eye mask and earplugs
Eye patches and ear plugs protect essential items to carry when traveling long distances.
Light and noise often interfere with sleep comfort and quality. Bright lighting makes it difficult to sleep well, especially the blue light from electronic screens.
To avoid light entering from vehicle windows, wear an eye mask. And just in case of noise, don't forget to bring headphones soundproof or earplugs.
3. Position the body correctly
Getting into a comfortable sleeping position is a big hurdle to getting a good night's sleep on long journeys because you have to sleep sitting up. To be able to sleep soundly while sitting, you need a solution so that your neck can still support your head, but your muscles are relaxed.
The best option is to choose a window seat and lean against the side of the window and use an airline-provided pillow for support. However, if you are unable to choose a sitting position, the alternative is to use a neck pillow.
In addition to finding a comfortable position to rest your head on, you also need to pay attention to the position of your feet. Make sure to extend your legs, don't cross them. When you cross your legs, your legs are pinched to one side.
Reporting from the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sleeping with your legs crossed will increase the risk of blood clots, especially if your trip takes more than four hours.
4. Wake up before arriving at their destination
The hardest part of sleeping well on a long journey is waking up. Especially if you wake up to a lot of bright light directly entering your eyes, it will definitely make you uncomfortable.
So set an alarm to wake up approximately 30 minutes before arriving at your destination. This gives you time to gather awareness, go to the toilet if you want to go to the bathroom, put on your shoes, or prepare to go downstairs.
Preparations before long trips
In addition to preparing to fall asleep soundly in a vehicle, you also need to pay attention to the time zone of the destination location.
If you're traveling across a different time zone, it's a good idea to adjust your sleep time to avoid it jet lag. John Hopkins Medicine suggests starting to change your sleep hours three days before a long trip.
Three days before the trip, advance your bedtime one hour earlier than usual, add another hour the next day, then another hour the day before departure. So in total you change the hours of sleep three hours earlier than usual.
This method can help you adjust the bedtime at a destination that has a different time zone.
