Family | Life | Food | Travel

14 July 2015

Tips For Sleeping While Travelling

 
Whether you’re travelling by plane, train or automobile this summer, getting the kids to sleep can make the journey a lot less stressful. So, here are some useful tips to help get your little ones off to the land of nod.






An Early Start
If you’re driving to your holiday destination it’s always a good start to leave in the early morning; sometime just before before dusk is great as the roads are quieter and it’s still not too bright for the kids to get some shut eye. But don’t forget, when they wake up they are going to be hungry, so take a packed lunch!


Plan your journey
I know this sounds obvious, but having a rough idea of the route just isn’t enough. Remember, your youngsters are a dab-hand at picking up any tension or stress, so try to remain calm if you take a wrong turn and invest in a Sat-Nav if your map reading skills are a bit rusty. Also, designating regular bathroom breaks, as well as one or two stops just for stretching your legs, will help to break up lengthy journeys.


Don’t Dress For The Catwalk
It can be tempting to don an outfit you’ve been meticulously planning for weeks ahead of your holiday, however, anything that’s not breathable or too clingy won’t help you get to sleep.  Therefore, make sure everyone is wearing layers and dressed comfortably; your best bet is usually something loose fitting and made of cotton.


When They’re Awake
You may have fond memories of playing eye-spy with your parents and you may find, now the roles reversed, that it’s a fantastic way to engage the kids and avoid restlessness. What’s more, if eye-spy gets tiresome, you can make up some of your own games or simply pull out an iPad: there are some great apps out there for kids of all ages!


Take Home Comforts
With young ones, a sleeping cue like a cuddly toy or much-loved blanket can do wonders for signalling sleep. Also, some children find it difficult to adapt to a new sleeping environment, so if you bring a few pillows with you it can help them settle in much quicker and feel more at ease with their new surroundings.


Keep Your Rhythm
If you’re travelling further afield, upsetting your circadian rhythm can be difficult to avoid. Therefore, to counter the effects of jet lag, start getting up earlier if you’re travelling east or later if you’re travelling west a few days before you leave. Furthermore, during the flight, try to eat and sleep according to your destination's local time.



What are your tricks for getting the kids to sleep when you’re on the road?

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4 comments

  1. I find the opposite. If I wake my son at 3am, he'd be up for the day. But if I prep him for bed and travel from about 7pm, we could travel for at least 4 hours with him asleep in the car. To be fair he'd sleep there all night but I think he'd wake up pretty stiff.

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  2. Pam Francis Gregory14/07/2015, 20:41

    Take their blankee!

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  3. If I woke my daughter up before the sun she would stay up too,mind you we travelled to my Mums late at night and they stayed awake for that too, I think sometimes you just have to roll with it. Love the other tips thugh, will try them on my next long journey :)

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  4. My son likes to take his teddy and comfort blanket always does the trick 😀

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