“Whether you’re traveling for business, vacation, or an athletic competition, a big trip is usually a cause for excitement. Unfortunately, problems can arise from the process of traveling.”— Dr. Abhinav Singh, Sleep Medicine Physician
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Travelling in a far away land has many mixed benefits and drawbacks, regardless of whether you’re heading off on a sunny, leisurely vacation or are summoned to a corporate meeting that takes place far from home.
Regardless of the mode of transportation, taking to the highways or the open sky may provide thrills, a respite from the everyday routine, and an atmosphere of adventure. However, it might also lead to sleeplessness when travelling.
Travel insomnia
Insomnia, as a medical condition, refers to the challenges associated with both initiating and maintaining sleep. According to Dr. Chester Wu, a sleep medicine specialist based in Houston, Texas, for a diagnosis of true insomnia, these symptoms must persist for at least three nights per week over a duration of three months.
Travel insomnia pertains to the temporary sleep disturbances that can affect any traveler, regardless of their frequency of travel. Disruptions to regular sleep patterns may lead to various symptoms, including daytime drowsiness, difficulties with concentration, alterations in mood, and gastrointestinal issues, such as changes in the frequency of bowel movements.
“Travel can lead to, if not full-blown insomnia, then certainly sleeping issues,” says Wu, who adds that travel insomnia is not a medical term and differs from jet lag. “Travel insomnia likely refers to any sleep disruption that occurs during or after travel, while jet lag specifically refers to the circadian rhythm disruption caused by crossing multiple time zones.”
Travel fatigue
Traveling can induce both physical and mental stress. You may experience a phenomenon known as travel fatigue. This condition can result in feelings of exhaustion, headaches, disrupted sleep, and various forms of discomfort.
Travel fatigue is the physical manifestation of travel grievances,” says Mckenzie Dillon, a certified American sleep science coach, who earned her certification from the Spencer Institute. “It can happen in the event of things like having anxiety about flying on a plane, stress from planning, long layovers, delayed flights or lack of sleep during travel. Although you’re mentally drained, travel fatigue can make it more difficult to get restful sleep.”
“Flights have different factors that make you feel tired,” explained Sarah Peterson, co-founder and head of marketing at Flightfud. “Altitude is one such factor. Your body needs to adjust to altitudes that are unnatural for humans. Although the cabin pressure helps you in adjusting to the altitude changes, the environment inside an aircraft doesn’t mimic your ‘normal.’”
In addition to altitude, various health effects occur in your body during air travel, contributing to travel fatigue. According to Peterson, the following issues are nearly unavoidable on flights:
• Dehydration. To maintain the necessary temperature within the cabin, most airlines adjust the air pressure by altering the air composition. It is noteworthy that the cabin air is approximately 15% drier than the air at ground level. This results in feelings of dehydration and dry skin while in flight.
• Impaired circulation. Prolonged sitting combined with the aircraft's altitude negatively impacts circulation, leading to bodily fatigue and other adverse effects.
• Bloating and indigestion. While flying, your body expends significant effort to ensure blood circulation to your extremities, manage dehydration, and combat airborne viruses and excess bacteria that can weaken your immune system. Consequently, many resources are diverted from digestion, resulting in bloating and gas.
“Let’s not forget the plane movements which further add to the fatigue. Turbulence, noise, rolling, and shuddering that you experience during a flight are not normal. Your body understands this and tries hard to stabilize itself which reflects in the form of exhaustion.”
Jet lag
Jet lag disorder, another name for jet lag, is a transient sleep disturbance that can strike anybody making frequent trips across many time zones. The human body operates on an internal clock known as circadian rhythms, which provides signals regarding when to sleep and when to remain awake.
“Jet lag occurs because your body’s internal clock is synced to your original time zone,” the Mayo Clinic explains. “It hasn’t changed to the time zone of where you've traveled. The more time zones are crossed, the more likely you are to experience jet lag.”
Symptoms of jet lag can vary. It’s possible that you’ll simply have one symptom or several. Aside from sleep issues like difficulty falling asleep or getting up early, jet lag symptoms can also include exhaustion throughout the day, difficulty focusing or performing at your regular level, stomach issues like diarrhea or constipation, mood swings, and overall malaise.
“Jet lag symptoms usually occur within a day or two after traveling across at least two time zones,” the Mayo Clinic says. “Symptoms are likely to be worse or last longer the farther you travel. This is especially true if you fly east. It usually takes about a day to recover for each time zone crossed.”
Sleeping on an airplane
Sleeping on an airplane is generally advisable, particularly during long-haul flights. Resting while in transit can significantly reduce the perception of flight duration and alleviate the effects of jet lag, especially when crossing time zones. A restful sleep can leave travelers feeling rejuvenated upon arrival.
Nevertheless, several factors should be considered to enhance the likelihood of a comfortable sleep experience on board. It is essential to recognize that not all individuals find it easy to sleep on an airplane. Many may struggle to rest in unfamiliar settings, and factors such as turbulence or other discomforts can further hinder sleep quality. Therefore, it is prudent to prepare adequately and consider personal preferences and needs.
“There are some situations in which it may not be advisable to sleep on an airplane,” says the website, flightright.com. “These include, for example, shorter flights where sleep may be insufficient or even disruptive. It can also make sense to stay awake on flights with stopovers so that you don’t miss your connecting flight.”
Among the ideas that need to be considered when sleeping on a flight, according to the website, are the following:
Take-off and landing: During take-off and landing, it is important to be alert and follow safety instructions. Passengers should be alert and responsive during this phase.
Food service: When meal service is underway and flight attendants are serving meals, it is polite and practical to be awake to receive meals and clarify any needs.
Short-haul flights: On very short flights, there may not be enough time to fall asleep and rest.
Health concerns: People with certain health concerns, such as thrombosis or back problems, may need to get up and move around regularly on longer flights instead of sleeping most of the time.
Emergency procedures: In the unlikely event of an emergency, it is crucial to be awake and alert in order to follow the crew’s instructions.
“It is important to emphasize that individual circumstances may vary,” the website reminds. “Some people may have difficulty sleeping on the plane due to insomnia or other health issues. It is always advisable to pay attention to the flight attendants’ instructions and take individual needs into account.”
Sleep better while travelling
Lilianna Hogan, in an article she wrote for WebMD.com, shared some tips on how to sleep better while travelling. “Every person is different, as is every trip,” she penned. “Perhaps some things that work for you in one scenario may not work in another. Also, some people may be more sensitive to certain things than others. Take all of this advice with a grain of salt and edit it to your needs and the situation at hand.”
Try to reduce stress beforehand. Attempt to prepare for the trip in a compressed yet stress-free manner. Anxiety about your trip can make you lose sleep and undermine your trip before it even begins. Anxiety during your trip due to lack of preparation can also make you lose sleep.
Plan to make sure you get to sleep. If you know that you can’t sleep in busses, trains, planes, or cars, then sleep around them. If you need to make a multi-day journey, plan a stay at a hotel or with relatives. While red-eye travel can save money, it might not be worth the hit to your energy level the following day.
Dress for the occasion. Wear loose-fitting clothing that you can move in. Make sure to take some layers in case it gets cold and you need to cozy up.
Find a good position to relax in. Depending on where you are trying to sleep, you may not have much control over your posture. However, if you do, try to make sure you’re as reclined as possible. Avoid positions that bunch up your body and create further tension.
Bring things that help you sleep. Packing items like sleep masks, headphones, earplugs, and blankets to block out the lights and noises around you can make a huge difference.
Pack a pillow or makeshift pillow. Be sure to bring along a travel pillow or clothing that you can roll up to make a pillow for yourself. Supporting your head will help you relax a great deal.
Stay hydrated. Drink water before, during, and after you travel. It will help your body remain resilient through the various transitions of traveling.
Eat well. Eat foods that nourish and fuel you. Try to avoid heavy foods that will weigh you down and make you feel fatigued.
Watch your alcohol and caffeine intake. Both alcohol and caffeine can knock your sleep off track. Try not to drink too much either so that you can rest when you need to.
Move your body. Try to move, stretch, or lightly exercise when possible. Most travel methods require a long period of inactivity, which can hurt your body and throw off your sleep cycle.
