I do fine going there because I can push and do interesting things to keep going. But coming home I struggle and get dead tired at 4PM for about a week.

It's the lack of sleep that gets me on the overnight flights. We can power through until around lunch, but by then at least one kid is falling asleep at the table, while sitting up, in broad daylight at a noisy restaurant. After lunch, we'll all take a nap for max an hour and a half, then get up and feel much better. Everyone goes to sleep around 9 and by the next morning we're on track. I start to feel almost sick because I'm so tired - I wouldn't want to power through. But we do have to book a place for the night before to make sure it's available when we land in the morning. It's the best money you can spend.

Anonymous wrote:If you are doing an overnight flight and it lands early in the morning, how do you and your family plan the day?

I'm considering dropping off our luggage and taking a bus tour, but I'm worried we might fall asleep, so a more active solution might be better. I'm curious what those of you with experience do. Do you stay active or is relaxing better? Should we just plan to walk around?

First, off, we always take night flights and arrive in morning- we try to book an extra night of an Airbnb or hotel so we can shower first thing and be outside during the day on local time. We usually do one thing the first day (museum, beach, go look at a specific monument) but otherwise learn bus system, go to grocery, locate pharmacy, etc. We eat a lot of fruit and vegetables and a light dinner, and then go for a walk around sunset, and are in bed by eight or nine. We then set an alarm for six, and get kids out of bed by 7:30, light breakfast, and get out for the day. For us, this resets our biorhythms. Lots of water, light food, and walking.

For the most part, none of us are too too impacted by jet leg. We just power through the first day and then go to bed "early" around 8-830pm local time. I think the best thing to do is be active though. A bus tour or anything where you're going to be idle is going to make people feel even more tired. We tend to just explore. No plans, no museums, no tours. Just decide on a location and see where it takes you.

It depends what time you arrive of course. 6 am vs 10 am is quite different.

We go to the hotel, usually I either reserve from the night before (if we arrive at 7 or earlier) or request an early check in (some hotels allow reserving the early check in for a payment, usually from 12:00 pm). So we put our bags, rest in the room, and then in the afternoon (from about 3pm, if we checked in at 12), do some light sightseeing and dinner. Light walk, dinner, and try to stay up as much as possible.

Recent family trip we got one hotel for the night before so that we could have a quick rest and freshen up. We got to the hotel at 9am and headed out around 12. Worked well.

The week before I start adjusting my schedule with waking up earlier and earlier each day. Doing that I am exhausted by the time the plane takes off and I get some sleep and don’t feel as tired when I arrive. Once I get to location, I have a full breakfast with extra caffeine. Usually can last till about 7 or 8pm.

Anonymous wrote:The bus will put some of your party to sleep most likely.

I think that's okay if they fell asleep at 2 or 3. If they fall asleep at 10am that will prolong jetlag.

A nap on a bus or even a short nap in a bed is okay IME. It's the 4+ hour conk out in the middle of the day that isn't good.

Yes if you have only slept for maybe 2 hours on the flight, I don't think sleep under 2 hours once you land will mess you up too much. We did that on a pre-kids trip and got into our hotel early and slept from 9 AM to 11 AM, then stayed active until 9 PM. Worked well.

Something I did on my last trip was start shifting my sleep time by 30-45 minutes every night for around 5 days before the trip. Definitely helped, by the day of flight I was waking up over 2 hours earlier than normal. helped me fall asleep quickly on the flight that night, and adjust faster after landing. Probably harder to do with kids though.

I take an ambien on the plane and give my kid 5mg melatonin. That’s enough sleep for us to power through the next day.
We go to England every year to see my family. Started the melatonin when she was 5 I think.
In England we both stay up later than we would at home so that coming back isn’t to drastic. It’s more of a 3 hour difference rather than a 5 hour difference.

If it helps, think of your state as sleep-deprived rather than jet lagged. (I suffer from actual jet lag when I’m home again.)

I too, believe in powering through as much as possible, being as active outdoors as much as is possible, and trying to stay up until 9 pm or so. Hopefully, I’ll sleep well and wake early, ready as an earlier poster said, to start the trip with energy.

If I am unlucky enough to land before 9 am though, I will need a short nap at some stage that first day!

I just power through. But usually I have arrival lounge access or a place to shower, change and eat breakfast and that helps to get ready for the day. A disproportionate amount of my travel is to London so it helps that it is only a 5 hour difference.

The bus will put some of your party to sleep most likely.

I think that's okay if they fell asleep at 2 or 3. If they fall asleep at 10am that will prolong jetlag.

A nap on a bus or even a short nap in a bed is okay IME. It's the 4+ hour conk out in the middle of the day that isn't good.

I don't handle it, because I can't sleep on a plane. We land, zombie at my parents' apartment in Paris, or wherever we landed, trying not to fall asleep, and start our vacation the next day.

The one time we were taking a really short break that was packed with activities, we fell asleep on the tour bus and missed some of the sights.

I push through as much as possible, spend as much time outside as possible to re-set my circadian rhythm, and then take no more than a 3 hour nap early afternoon.

If you are doing an overnight flight and it lands early in the morning, how do you and your family plan the day?

I'm considering dropping off our luggage and taking a bus tour, but I'm worried we might fall asleep, so a more active solution might be better. I'm curious what those of you with experience do. Do you stay active or is relaxing better? Should we just plan to walk around?