There are lots of theories and tips on how to deal with jet lag, Here are my tips on how to deal with jet lag, especially when you're traveling with children:
These tips can help everyone sleep better at night, no matter where in the world you are
H20 is life
It is a family motto of ours. So, indeed, we believe water is your best friend, It will flood your system, flush out those toxins that built up on the plane and get your body ready to face the next adventure.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Plane air can make everyone parched -- and be dehydrated can add to the weird feeling you get when you jump time zones.
Drink something that contains electrolytes that helps you assimilate the water instead of retaining it.
Dress for Comfort
Wear loose-fitting clothing -- comfortable, breathable, natural fibers --, and you will sleep better on the plane.
The more convenient you dress, the more likely you'll be able to relax and enjoy your trip.
Get Cozy
Make it easy for your kids to fall asleep. Bring comfortable blankets and travel pillows to make it easy for them to get some sleep on the plane. At the same time, don't freak out if no one sleeps much (or at all) on the plane.
Pretend You're There
Act like you're already at your destination when you hit the plane. Reset your watch, and do what you would be doing if you were already at the location. For instance, if it's 3 a.m. in China, but only 3 p.m. where you are, you should try to settle you and your kiddos in for a few hours of napping as soon as you get on the plane. That means you should also try to avoid light on the plane if it's nighttime where you're going. Drop the shade on the airplane window and perhaps bring along a sleep mask or even sunglasses to trick your body into thinking it's dark.
Change Your Family's Bedtime
Change your child bedtime in the direction of the new bedtime at the destination. Start resetting children's internal clocks three days before departure by adjusting bedtimes earlier when traveling eastward.
"Try moving your child's bedtime by 15 to 20 minutes toward the vacation time zone in the few days before your trip. Children's circadian rhythms generally catch up with them naturally after 4 days or so." If you're planning a significant change in the time zone (for instance, a 12-hour shift), you may want to start sliding the bedtime 15 minutes in the right direction every few days in the weeks gearing up to the trip.
Try to stay awake until it's bedtime.
If there's a big time difference, it can be almost impossible for you and your kids to fall asleep at the right time in your new time zone, especially the first couple of nights. Try to keep your kids occupied enough that they do stay awake. At some point, they will hit the wall (and so will you), and then it might just be best to go to bed.
Stick to routines
Try to estimate the bedtime routines from home as much as you can. Bringing soothing items like stuffed animals and blankets help. Bathing the kids, reading a bedtime story, singing the lullaby they're used to and so forth, it all helps them relax.
Keep the bedroom as dark as possible
This can assist both with sleeping longer and falling back to sleep if your kid wakes up in the middle of the night. It can mainly be hard to convince kids that it's night time when their bodies are telling them it's morning. Turning off lights, drawing the blinds and curtains do help.
Try to get your kids to go back to sleep if they wake up too early.
Adjusting to the new time zone is easier if you try to get your body into the new "rhythm" as soon as possible. If you can convince your child to just lay down for a bit, and maybe get them to sleep or doze for just an extra hour, it can help reset their internal clocks.
Be careful with naps
Naps can become way too long when children are jetlagged. This happens to grown-ups too. You're feeling sleepy in the afternoon, you lay down to rest a bit and end up snoozing for hours because your body is out of synch. This is problematic because it makes it difficult to fall asleep at the "right" time at night.
Go outside!
I find that keeping yourself active during the day, and going outside if it's a sunny day, can help reset your out-of-whack internal clock. For children, going for a stroll, playing in a playground, or just generally doing something that keeps them active does help stave off that tired, droopy feeling that often comes with jet lag.
Do you have any more tips? Please comment and share below to spread the traveler butterfly love! And for more guides like this, don't forget to subscribe