5 Tips for Sleeping Better During Spring Break

Spring break is a fun time to travel or staycation for everyone! The weather is warming up and you might grab your family or friends and head off on an adventure. Whether you’re road tripping, enjoying a staycation, or departing on a destination vacation, you’re probably ready for some rest & relaxation. In order to maximize your fun over Spring Break, consider making sure you’re resting just as well.

Here are 5 tips to unwind and to make the most of the adventures your planning:

#1 Plan for Jet Lag

When most people think of sleep travel issues that crop up during the spring into summer, jet lag is usually the number one culprit. But with the right planning, you’ll be able to beat jet lag and infuse your vacation with fun & adventure.

Stay hydrated – Avoid sugary drinks. Drinking plenty of water before and after a flight can counteract the dry air of the airplane cabin and even diminish jet lag symptoms once you land. Dehydration can seriously affect your ability to fall asleep at bedtime. 

Pre-shift your sleep schedule – You can get in the travel spirit early by anticipating the time shift and slowly adjusting your sleep cycle ahead of time. It usually takes around 24 hours per time zone for your body to acclimate, but you can do some of that work ahead of time by going to bed earlier in the days leading up to your trip. That way, once you land, you’ll be ready to soak in the vacation vibes.

Embrace local time – The sooner you can set your clock to local time and start adjusting your eating schedule, the better. Encouraging your body to find its new rhythms will help you push through your jet lag and enjoy your vacation.

With these quality sleep tips, you’ll be ready to master jet lag in no time.

#2 Bring a Sleep Kit

You’ve spent your days in the sun, in the car and eating and drinking differently than usual. To ensure your slumbers are comfortable, here is what to pack in your sleep kit with all the bedtime essentials:

Melatonin to usher you into a deep, restful sleep

Blue light-blocking glasses for before-bed scrolling

Lavender-scented products or essential oils to support relaxation

Wondering how to get a quality sleep with a snorer on vacation? Add some earplugs to your kit to clear sleep-disrupting snores, music, and chatter from your sleep space. And every sleep kit needs a top-notch eye mask, too.

#3 Travel Comfy

Comfort is an underrated part of better sleep—in fact, it’s so underrated that scientists have learned that the first night of sleep in a new place is usually so bad that the data is thrown out when conducting sleep studies. Here’s how to ensure you’re staying cozy on a long drive, a long flight or time at home:

Wearing comfy clothes – nothing is worse on a long drive or long flight than uncomfortable, itchy, or constricting fabrics. Consider, keeping all your favorite outfits for once you’ve reached your destination. Wear shoes that are comfortable for walking.

Reclining your seat – Don’t be afraid to lean back and kick your feet up. Whether you’re on a bus, in a car, or on a flight, leaning back will help improve both the quantity and the quality of the sleep you get since you’ll be more relaxed and comfortable as you snooze.

Bringing your own travel pillow – Nothing is worse than neck pain that could’ve been avoided if you just grabbed a neck pillow. Your whole spine will thank you for this little added touch on your travel days.

#4 Eat and Drink Right

What you eat and drink directly affects your ability to sleep soundly throughout the night. Alcohol is a known sleep disrupter and food loaded with carbs & sugar are correlated with poor sleep quality. That said, save the indulgences for the vacation time and not during travel time.

Avoid caffeine – Drinking caffeine is a surefire way to stop oncoming sleep in its tracks. It’ll also send your sleep cycle spiraling, which can disrupt your restful sleep during travel and during your vacation.

Don’t overeat – You might think that a heavy meal will make you feel drowsy, but eating overly large meals can actually lead to bloating and constipation, which can make you too uncomfortable to fall asleep peacefully. Spare yourself the gastric trouble and make sure to eat light during your travel — then indulge when you’re at your destination.

Eat balanced meals – A well-rounded diet is critical for good sleep because the nutrients you receive from fruits and vegetables can impact your sleep rhythms. Fill your travel day with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to balance your journey with nutrition that keeps your body and sleep pattern healthy.

#5 Keep Travel Stress to a Minimum

You might have a perfect picture of your sunny island getaway in mind, but the idea of navigating large crowds, flying on a plane, and finding additional transportation is keeping you up at night.  Travel anxiety is incredibly common. Fortunately, mitigating or overcoming travel-induced stress is possible if you take the right steps to plan ahead.  To help squander sleep-squashing anxiety, you can:

Meditate – It’s a classic for a reason. Meditation and breathing exercises are effective ways to calm your mind and body at the moment and recenter yourself before and during travel. Because meditation relaxes the body, it may also help you more easily slip into slumber.

Plan ahead – If the hectic rush to the airport or bus stop is what keeps you up the night before, you can alleviate your fears by creating a list of to-dos and knocking out stressful responsibilities beforehand, such as arranging transportation. Pre-pack for your trip days in advance to ensure you’ll have everything you need, and create an itinerary the night before, so you don’t run into any last-minute surprises.

Pack sleep medication – For some, travel anxiety can pile up like the laundry that will need to be done at the end of the trip. Sleep medication can deliver much-needed relaxation and rest. With these sleep tips, you’ll be ready to focus on the upcoming spring break adventure and put any travel anxiety behind you.