Arrival day: push through or nap?

Old Mar 4th, 2016, 07:48 AM
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Arrival day: push through or nap?

I'm wondering what experiences you've had with that first-day arrival in Europe from the US.

I keep hearing that you should try to push through the whole first day so that you acclimate to the time change faster, but I've only been successful at that once, when I was much younger. As an adult, if I arrive in the morning (European time), I can last until late afternoon or early evening before crashing. It does mess up the first day or so -- no fun being wide awake at 2am when the rest of the continent is asleep! -- but then it all seems to straighten itself out.

What are your thoughts? We're planning a 9am arrival in Manchester, England, and I'm thinking we might be better off to check a few things off our list (SIM cards, groceries for the next day's breakfast, etc.), then check into the hostel and nap for a couple/few hours. After that I'm thinking we can head back out in the evening and perhaps end the day later than usual so that we sleep soundly and are ready for the first full day.

One of my frequent-traveling friends suggested taking 5-Hour Energy as soon as we land to help soldier through the arrival day, but with a 9am arrival I don't know how that would work...have you tried this strategy? Would it be better to take it, say, around local lunchtime and hope to last another few hours?

Thanks in advance -- just trying to get the trip off to a good start. I appreciate hearing about your experiences.
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 07:59 AM
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We fly from the US west coast twice a year for our 1 month European vacation. We usually depart SFO around 2 to 4 pm. We have a big lunch with wine. We get on the plane & stay awake for a couple of hours. Then I take 2 1/2 ambien, put in ear plugs and wear an eye mask, & try to get several hours of sleep - which I usually do. We have a strong cup of coffee on the plane close to arrival time. When we get there, we "push on", but never a drive more than 2 1/2 hrs if we drive at all. We have a nice dinner at 8pm, I take 2 ambien, then off to bed. We've done this routine since 1999. I have ambien for the next 4-5 days.

Stu Dudley
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 08:00 AM
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We usually go west.
Last we came back we stayed awake until about 9 pm. So that we would wake at a normal time.
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 08:06 AM
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I'm a napper. We generally land, get to hotel, unpack, have celebratory drinks & maybe a snack, then sleep. We get up, shower and go to dinner. We might take a sleeping pill around 1am if we need it. After this we are reset & good to go for the rest of the trip.
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 08:07 AM
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Everyone's different, but personally I'm a mess for several days if I nap the day of arrival. I just stay outdoors as much as possible, move slowly, stop a few times for a coffee or tea, have a light dinner, and get to bed before 10 pm. Then I'm good to go starting the next morning.
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 08:07 AM
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I'll never forget my trip to Paris with my sister. We live in the Inland Northwest, so we have to travel from Spokane across the United States and then across the Atlantic. Also, the time difference between Spokane and European cities is 9 hours or more.

It was my sister's first trip to Europe, and she was so excited that she insisted we stay awake in Paris and do some sight-seeing. When we were on the bateau boat touring the Seine, she was wide awake and taking everything in.

I did my best, but I kept dozing off during the whole trip. It was not an enjoyable excursion for me.

Nowadays I have also noticed that when I stay awake after arriving, I don't feel well the first day. In addition, my internal clock is totally discombobulated, and I find myself needing to take naps for the next few days. My body knows that it is 2:00 a.m., no matter that the clock says it's 5:00 p.m.

I've just given up struggling. I take naps for the first couple of days. I think part of the trouble is my age. I don't remember having jet lag when I was younger.

P.S. It's even worse when I return home. I usually return to local time quickly, but it takes about a week for my body to recover.
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 08:23 AM
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If you're getting the tram from the airport, as in your previous post, then you'll be at your hostel by around 11:15am.(Delays allowing) Maybe you should stretch your legs once you've checked in and walk up to the Sainsbury's store at the bottom of Regent Road that I mentioned in your other post. That should take you around 10 minutes or so and you should be back not long after noon.

I think I'd catch some sleep for a couple of hours in the afternoon just to keep me going and then follow your plan to go to bed a little later. That always works for me with overnight flights. Let me know if you need any other info for the time you're in Manchester.
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 08:23 AM
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We travel from the east coast of the U.S. so we generally arrive between 7:00 a.m. and noon. Our goal, once we can get into a hotel room, is to take a nice shower and nap for a short time - no more than 90 minutes. This helps us get through the balance of the first day and we are generally good to go for the balance of the trip. I'm thinking limmy's idea of a pre-nap drink should be added to our routine. Thanks.
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 08:32 AM
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I think you should find a way to stay out in the sun. The worst jet lag I had came from being indoors on arrival and staying there. Gets the body to see the sun and it starts to catch up.
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 08:39 AM
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I never nap. I get what sleep I can and stay up until 830 or 9 the first evening. I have a terrible time getting up from naps and it's just easier to stay awake. I choose something low key but interesting for the first day so that I won't be tempted to doze off. Personally, I get a second wind when I'm so tired that I'm just not tired anymore.
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 08:40 AM
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Sorry, I should have said "I get what sleep I can on overnight flights".
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 08:50 AM
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I, too, sleep some on the plane, stay awake & walk after arrival, then go to sleep as close to local bedtime as I can manage. If I "napped", I'd stay asleep and wake in the wee hours and it would take me days longer to adjust.
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 08:51 AM
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Agree with StCirq. Everyone is different. However, her findings are my findings.
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 08:56 AM
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Napping on the first day can delay your transition to the new time zone. It is much better to push through to an early dinner - perhaps 7pm instead of 9 - and try to spend time out in the sunshine (if you have any) to make the transition faster.
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 09:02 AM
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I stay up until normal bedtime (or as close to it as possible). That helps my body adjust quicker to the new time zone. I don't get much sleep on overnight flights, so exhaustion helps me go to sleep, and stay asleep, until the next morning.
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 09:21 AM
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I've traveled to Europe all my life, parents were both airline employees, so I spent a lot of my life traveling on trips with them. The number one rule my parents and all their airline friends had: as soon as you arrive in Europe take a 2-4 hour nap- NO MORE. If you try and push though the day, make sure you sleep on the plane!

We take a 4 hour nap when we arrive in the morning, then spend the rest of the day enjoying the culture, have a great dinner then go to bed at a somewhat reasonable hour. Wake up ready to seize the day!

Enjoy!
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 09:35 AM
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"...as you arrive in Europe take a 2-4 hour nap..."

With a morning arrival and check-in often delayed until afternoon, how does one nap "in the morning"?
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 09:41 AM
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I envy people who can sleep on the plane. Being able to do that would certainly help the transition to a different time zone.

I recall one trip where I was determined to sleep on the flight. I took Melatonin and (maybe Bendryl), used earplugs, an eyemask, and a u-shaped pillow for my neck. I think I slept for about an hour. Maybe two, but not enough to help me stay awake and alert when I landed in Frankfurt.
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 09:47 AM
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I don't sleep well on the plane but find, if I nap, I just prolong my adjustment. I try to stay outside as much as possible the first day as I think the angle of the sun helps reset my "internal clock", have an early dinner, crash around 9-10 PM and I'm fine for the rest of the trip.

Wish it was that easy on return!
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Old Mar 4th, 2016, 10:34 AM
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"I think you should find a way to stay out in the sun."

The OP's travelling to Manchester. So finding sun will be the first challenge.

But DO realise everyone's different. I recently slept dreadfully on an eastbound overnight from Cuba only a few days before the winter solstice. So by the time I'd changed planes at CDG and driven home, it was dark already.

But I went to a local board meeting that night, and my brain, tolerance and insight into the issues discussed worked properly. Back home, a quick plate of carbonara and I slept like a baby till 0600 GMT. Nary a lag.

Maybe I'm getting old. Maybe Air Frog was just being mean with the booze. But I've noticed that lags get rarer and rarer the older I get.
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