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From business trips to fun vacations, traveling is an inevitable part of life. Flying with infants and/or small children significantly raises the safety concerns, and calls for extra vigilance, especially when you are traveling across different time-zones. Children are more susceptible to Jet-Lag. Many airlines and flights provide amenities and facilities exclusively for the convenience of passengers traveling with children. Surf the company website to inquire about provisions to help your children fight flight fatigue. It is also suggested to make bookings online while touring for best travel offers like flights from Mumbai to Vancouver, and other destinations, worldwide.
So, if you are traveling with kids, here are the top 5 Scientific Jet-Lag hacks for babies that are extremely effective:
An airplane is equipped with sufficient amount of potable water but, carrying your own supply is advisable. If a child is old enough to drink milk and juice, pack generous amounts. Mineral-rich water such as Spring Water would also serve as a good choice. Another quenching tip is to add 1 drop of rosemary oil in the water. It will help your little one’s immune system, and relieve the respiratory discomforts caused by the air inside the aircraft. Another useful measure is to carry vitamin sachets to add flavor, so it encourages your child to drink water more frequently. There is a wide variety of nutrient-rich packaged drinking water in the market to choose from. Therefore, survey the options and select the one that best suits your baby’s body. Also, fill your water bottles once past the security check.
The reason why you are prone to dehydration is that the atmosphere inside the aircraft is substantially dry. The air quality is dehumidified and depressurized. This intensifies the affects of dehydration. Furthermore, babies are more sensitive to flight-related dehydration. Lower fluid levels worsen jet-lag symptoms, and disrupt routine for days at a stretch. So, needless to say, that it is indispensable to replenish the body water levels on your child, frequently.
Just like exposure to sunlight is critical while we’re awake, exposure to the dark helps you sleep. A hormone called Melatonin is responsible for controlling the sleep-wake patterns. It is secreted as a result of exposure to darkness. Therefore, the absence of light is very important for sleep. You can alter the child’s schedule, a week or so, prior to boarding the flight in order to enhance the sleep quality of the baby. For example, flights from Delhi to Vancouver will extend the length of the day, whereas traveling to the east will shorten it. Also, traveling from west to east causes difficulty in falling asleep.
On the other hand, travel to the west will make it difficult to stay asleep. Hence, make the alterations, accordingly. While in-flight, make sure that your child isn’t exposed to light overhead. It is suggested that you carry an extra pair of blankets or sheets to cover the baby. You can also drape them over the windows. While doing so, be cautious so as to not cover the baby’s face and mouth, because it was lead to discomfort in breathing. The fabric of the blanket or sheet to be used must be soft and comfortable, preferably cotton. Avoid using polyester blends. You can also carry a pair of eye-masks for your kid.
Exposure to the sun is as important as maintaining body water-levels. Make sure your baby gets enough sunlight, so as to readjust the circadian rhythm. It can be thought of, as a biological clock, because it regulates the sleep and wake cycles of a body. For instance, it is advised not to use electronic items before sleeping, as they emit Blue-light. When this light is absorbed by the retina, it sends signals to the brain that it is still day-time, and your wake cycle is extended. On the contrary, darkness promotes sleep. In this manner, you can trick your body into resetting your child’s circadian rhythm.
While out in the sunshine, be particularly mindful of the temperature and weather conditions. Some parts of the world are missing the protective Ozone layer resulting in high levels of Ultraviolet energy in the sunrays. Always pack a sun-block while traveling. The flight fatigue symptoms are also dependent on the number of time zones crossed, for example, traveling through multiple time-zones may wrongly reset your body’s circadian rhythm. Soak in the morning sunrays while traveling towards east and evening light while traveling to the west. Generally, flying westwards, for example, flights from Delhi to Ottawa are less challenging, as compared to those flying east.
In order to adapt your body functions according to the new time zone, diet plays an important role. Do you know there is a jet-lag diet called Argonne Diet? It helps in minimal disruption of circadian rhythm by regulating metabolism. This diet was invented by Charles Ereth belonging to a research facility in the United States of America. According to the diet, it is advised that you take low-calorie meals, typically 800 per meal. Protein-rich sources of food are preferred during the day and carbohydrate-rich food during nights. An approach consists of feasting and fasting on alternate days. If you reach your destination in the day, look for a high protein breakfast. Do not put your kids directly to sleep, even if they haven’t slept in-flight rather move forward with the day’s schedule. This will not disrupt the sleep schedule during the night. It will assist in reconfiguring your body’s wake-sleep patterns. Include dishes with high water content in your meals. Always remember not to over-feed the baby.
Light exercises will help your baby to shake the jet-lag off. As mentioned before, do not make your kids go to bed after a red-eye flight. If even haven’t slept at all, you can ask them to have a nap. If you reach your destination during the evening, try to delay the bedtime by at least one or two hours. This will result in a quicker adjustment to the new time zone. Make sure the kids do not overexert while engaging in physical activity, as it will make matters worse. Light physical activities improve the circulation, metabolism, and help us in resetting the biological clock of the body. This results in our body catching on to the schedule of the current time-zone.
Preparing yourself and your children a few days prior to traveling goes a long way. Adjust the daily routine by a few hours. Do not overeat, but opt for a light and healthy meal. Before leaving for the trip, pack all the essentials like plenty of nourishing liquids, spare blankets, and eye-masks. Check for the provisions for air passengers traveling with kids, online. Also, for the best travel deals, like discounts on flights from Mumbai to Vancouver, and other destinations from around the globe.
While onboard, hydrate your child and obstruct any light from reaching your child, while he/she is trying to sleep. Upon, reaching the destination, it is advised not to hit the bed. Instead, reset the circadian rhythm by exposing your children to sunlight. Light physical exercise and nutritious meals, like Argonne meal, are going to help you and your children overcome jet-lag.
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