Arrival day: push through or nap?
Mar 4th, 2016, 05:45 PM
#41
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I can't ever sleep on planes. I've never tried anything but a couple glasses of wine to help me, which is no help at all!
When my husband and I went to Ireland in our mid-thirties we checked in to our hotel, went to lunch, wandered a little, and then took a nap. Worst mistake ever! We set the alarm for 2 hours later and felt HORRIBLE. It was if we were sleepwalking the rest of that evening, and then ended up wide awake at 2 am local time. It took days for us to adjust.
When we went to Greece in our late thirties, we had a layover in Athens before a flight to Santorini. I was 6 months pregnant at the time, and really did not sleep on the plane because I had to walk the aisles every hour to prevent DVT. During our layover, we walked the streets of Athens at a leisurely pace, got some lunch and headed back to the airport, where I nodded off for maybe 15 minutes. We caught a second wind once we arrived in Santorini at 8 pm that night, had a quick dinner, and slept soundly until the next morning. The next day we were on Greece time.
As painful as it was to stay awake, I am now a believer in pressing through. The second wind does come, and that night was the best, deepest sleep I've ever experienced!
When my husband and I went to Ireland in our mid-thirties we checked in to our hotel, went to lunch, wandered a little, and then took a nap. Worst mistake ever! We set the alarm for 2 hours later and felt HORRIBLE. It was if we were sleepwalking the rest of that evening, and then ended up wide awake at 2 am local time. It took days for us to adjust.
When we went to Greece in our late thirties, we had a layover in Athens before a flight to Santorini. I was 6 months pregnant at the time, and really did not sleep on the plane because I had to walk the aisles every hour to prevent DVT. During our layover, we walked the streets of Athens at a leisurely pace, got some lunch and headed back to the airport, where I nodded off for maybe 15 minutes. We caught a second wind once we arrived in Santorini at 8 pm that night, had a quick dinner, and slept soundly until the next morning. The next day we were on Greece time.
As painful as it was to stay awake, I am now a believer in pressing through. The second wind does come, and that night was the best, deepest sleep I've ever experienced!
Mar 4th, 2016, 05:55 PM
#42
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I try to barrel through, but sometimes that is very hard - especially if you land early.
If I do have to nap (and often I do) I set the alarm and force myself to wake up after an hour or so.
There is no rhyme or reason. Sometimes I get whacked hard with the jet lag and sometimes it is just sleeping in to 10am for a couple of days. Coming home is way worse though.
If I do have to nap (and often I do) I set the alarm and force myself to wake up after an hour or so.
There is no rhyme or reason. Sometimes I get whacked hard with the jet lag and sometimes it is just sleeping in to 10am for a couple of days. Coming home is way worse though.
Mar 4th, 2016, 06:47 PM
#43
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colduphere said:
"If we feel like napping we nap.
If we feel like staying awake we stay awake."
That's only three syllables more than a haiku. Let me try:
To nap can be good.
To stay awake can be good.
colduphere is smart.
colduphere is my favorite travel forum poster.
"If we feel like napping we nap.
If we feel like staying awake we stay awake."
That's only three syllables more than a haiku. Let me try:
To nap can be good.
To stay awake can be good.
colduphere is smart.
colduphere is my favorite travel forum poster.
Mar 4th, 2016, 06:59 PM
#44
Going to Europe from the western US, we always push through. Sometimes I sleep a little on the flight. I never can sleep if leaving from the east coast as the flight is shorter and by the time we have dinner there isn't enough time left to really get relaxed to try to sleep. We are both fine the next day.
I like Cold's Haiku too.
I like Cold's Haiku too.
Mar 4th, 2016, 07:16 PM
#45
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Flying west to east (from Oregon to Paris), we never pushed through the first day -- always took a nap. We don't sleep well on planes, period, even in business class. It never screwed up our timing. A three-hour mid-afternoon nap left us refreshed and ready for a pre-dinner stroll. We'd then go to bed around 11 pm and sleep like logs til the following morning.
That's still our pattern. For our trip to Singapore, our flight gets in very early in the morning (around 6 am on a Sunday). We've pre-booked a room at the Changi Crowne Plaza so that we can check in as soon as we arrive (we're going to pay for Saturday night with a late checkout Sunday). We plan to have breakfast, then shower, take a leisurely morning swim, nap for a few hours, check out early afternoon, and catch a cab to our hotel in the city.
We love an arrival day snooze. Esp if it's raining.
That's still our pattern. For our trip to Singapore, our flight gets in very early in the morning (around 6 am on a Sunday). We've pre-booked a room at the Changi Crowne Plaza so that we can check in as soon as we arrive (we're going to pay for Saturday night with a late checkout Sunday). We plan to have breakfast, then shower, take a leisurely morning swim, nap for a few hours, check out early afternoon, and catch a cab to our hotel in the city.
We love an arrival day snooze. Esp if it's raining.
Mar 5th, 2016, 01:30 AM
#47
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When we return home from the US, we usually land in Rome, Munich, or Milan, but then we have another trip, either by plane or train, followed by a drive, to get to our home. We're usually not home until mid-afternoon. We take a nap on the train or plane, and if we arrive home before lunch, we take our usual Italian postprandial nap. However, I never allow myself to sleep more than an hour. If I sleep long enough to fall into a really deep sleep, I feel very groggy and out of sorts when I wake up.
In the eastern direction, it doesn't have much to do with your internal clock, because it's earlier where you came from that it is where you've landed. It's more exhaustion from the trip than jet lag.
What I do notice, and this is probably jet lag, is that for the next few days I have a tendency to wake up at 4 AM and have a bit of trouble falling asleep again. Unlike Flanner, any tendency I have to jet lag has got worse as I get older. I used to travel often from New Jersey to China, 11 (or 13) hours difference, and never had the least sign of jet lag in either direction. I wonder if it's because I keep more regular hours than I did when I was young. I used to say, "I don't even have an internal clock." I sometimes went to bed early, and sometimes stayed up all night.
In the eastern direction, it doesn't have much to do with your internal clock, because it's earlier where you came from that it is where you've landed. It's more exhaustion from the trip than jet lag.
What I do notice, and this is probably jet lag, is that for the next few days I have a tendency to wake up at 4 AM and have a bit of trouble falling asleep again. Unlike Flanner, any tendency I have to jet lag has got worse as I get older. I used to travel often from New Jersey to China, 11 (or 13) hours difference, and never had the least sign of jet lag in either direction. I wonder if it's because I keep more regular hours than I did when I was young. I used to say, "I don't even have an internal clock." I sometimes went to bed early, and sometimes stayed up all night.
Mar 5th, 2016, 05:35 AM
#49
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fmt and cold--impressive! Maybe a new thread/challenge---My TR as Haiku! I will have to return to that idea.
For now--to OP--what Cold said! We used to NEVER nap, then DH began to need to, on trip last fall to Spain we both napped (after very early arrival, dropping of luggage, 3 or so hour walk including lunch)--he more than I. With us we figure it's age changing our stamina. I'd say in general LONG naps would be inadvisable, and as much time in whatever the outside light is available (even if it's raining) would be a good thing.
For now--to OP--what Cold said! We used to NEVER nap, then DH began to need to, on trip last fall to Spain we both napped (after very early arrival, dropping of luggage, 3 or so hour walk including lunch)--he more than I. With us we figure it's age changing our stamina. I'd say in general LONG naps would be inadvisable, and as much time in whatever the outside light is available (even if it's raining) would be a good thing.
Mar 5th, 2016, 05:35 AM
#50
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>>There are four of us and it's likely that each of us will react differently.<<
When you travel with more than one person, the differing reactions to jet lag can affect trip plans if you make any. I'm an early riser, and my sister is not. No nap works for me. She requires a nap, otherwise she's miserable. I've learned to not involve my sister on any early morning activity, especially on the morning after the day of arrival.
My sister and I travel from East Coast U.S. airports. On arrival day, I'm usually in bed by 10pm. Sometimes, my body can't make it past 9pm. I set my alarm for 6am the following morning, and I go out for a quick run. When my sister naps, she usually doesn't get to sleep until midnight, and there's no point trying to wake her before 9am. We never eat breakfast together. Typically, she's not ready to hit the streets until 11am, so I often make plans to meet her somewhere.
When you travel with more than one person, the differing reactions to jet lag can affect trip plans if you make any. I'm an early riser, and my sister is not. No nap works for me. She requires a nap, otherwise she's miserable. I've learned to not involve my sister on any early morning activity, especially on the morning after the day of arrival.
My sister and I travel from East Coast U.S. airports. On arrival day, I'm usually in bed by 10pm. Sometimes, my body can't make it past 9pm. I set my alarm for 6am the following morning, and I go out for a quick run. When my sister naps, she usually doesn't get to sleep until midnight, and there's no point trying to wake her before 9am. We never eat breakfast together. Typically, she's not ready to hit the streets until 11am, so I often make plans to meet her somewhere.
Mar 5th, 2016, 10:07 AM
#51
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Thanks. A few of you mentioned jet lag on the return trip...weirdly enough, that's never bothered us. We're near the East Coast, though, which may be why. Daytime return flight means we're usually home by supper time and then it's just another few hours 'til bedtime anyhow.
For the outbound trip, I'm thinking that we'll try the suggestions offered here and keep the first couple days light to accommodate everyone's transition.
For the outbound trip, I'm thinking that we'll try the suggestions offered here and keep the first couple days light to accommodate everyone's transition.
Mar 5th, 2016, 10:16 AM
#52
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When I lived on the East Coast of the USA, traveling home was an absolute bear for me. No matter what I did, my head was on my desk by 3 pm every afternoon, and then I was up all night. For several days. Probably because I was really, really bummed to have to be back in what was "home" then, but it was not fun!
Mar 5th, 2016, 05:33 PM
#53
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StCirq, I can relate (at least to the mental aspect of jet lag). There's only one time I've been ready to come home from my travels, and that was only because I was getting married soon. All the other times, I was devastated to be leaving Europe behind. It's a shame that EU citizenship is so complicated and expensive.
Mar 5th, 2016, 06:39 PM
#55
I sleep as soon as I can on arrival. I can't sleep on planes, it's more of a cat nap. Only once did I not have to nap on arrival and went to bed at a reasonable time and was ok. I find if I can go until I just have to sleep, I will still get up at a decent hour at my destination for dinner. My flights usually get in early am hrs and only once in the early evening which really messed with my plans. For me the arrival day is a wash so I don't make big plans. It's also sometimes hard when you can't get your room yet and ready to fall asleep anywhere.
Mar 5th, 2016, 08:21 PM
#56
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I tried a great tip I received prior to my last European trip. Before you fly out, set your watch to the current time in your destination, then do whatever it is you would normally be doing at that time. So, if you are leaving the west coast on an 8 AM flight and the time in your destination is 5 PM, get on the plane, eat, have a cocktail and take sleeping pill to fall asleep by what would be 9 PM in your destination (or whatever time you typically go to sleep.) That way you are already getting acclimated to your destination time zone! It actually worked for me!
Mar 6th, 2016, 01:50 AM
#57
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Srianda, I guess that works for some people, but I was always acutely aware that I was fooling myself and knew better, so...did not work, at all. I always did set my watch to the correct time, but since I hardly ever look at my watch, that was close to meaningless.
Mar 6th, 2016, 03:03 AM
#58
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Take a short nap after morning arrival - get up and be out for lunch by noon, and you're ready for sleep by 9 or 10 pm. The second day starts off at your usual time. Always worked for me and I've been flying those overnight Atlantic crossings for 25 years now.
Mar 6th, 2016, 03:31 AM
#59
If I am tired, I can't force myself to stay awake. If I am not tired, I can't force myself to go to sleep. If I am on vacation, I enjoy my time and nap when it seems like that would feel good and stay up late when that feels like fun.
Most often, I do exactly what the original poster was considering: go out for a short time, because it is exciting to be in the new place, then nap for a while. That way, for the first couple of days I am awake later than usual in the evenings and can enjoy late dinners and evening activities.
I find it encouraging to see how these threads have evolved over the years. The "you have to stay awake or you'll be sorry" camp used to have the most adherents. Now, perhaps with aging, the "everyone is different" camp is increasing. There are just a couple of holdouts who think their way is the only way despite the overwhelming number of people who are happy with a different routine.
Most often, I do exactly what the original poster was considering: go out for a short time, because it is exciting to be in the new place, then nap for a while. That way, for the first couple of days I am awake later than usual in the evenings and can enjoy late dinners and evening activities.
I find it encouraging to see how these threads have evolved over the years. The "you have to stay awake or you'll be sorry" camp used to have the most adherents. Now, perhaps with aging, the "everyone is different" camp is increasing. There are just a couple of holdouts who think their way is the only way despite the overwhelming number of people who are happy with a different routine.
Mar 6th, 2016, 05:03 AM
#60
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Nikki, so true. These threads used to be overwhelmingly "stay awake" and that has never worked for me.
Sure, I'd love to stay awake on arrival, but when my body says sleep, I have to sleep. No choice. Even though I'm excited to be in one of my favorite places in France, when I'm tired I fall sound asleep.
So I sleep, but I'm still in France and enjoying myself!
Sure, I'd love to stay awake on arrival, but when my body says sleep, I have to sleep. No choice. Even though I'm excited to be in one of my favorite places in France, when I'm tired I fall sound asleep.
So I sleep, but I'm still in France and enjoying myself!
