Healthy travel tips for… sleeping better

When possible, it pays to book flights on newer planes for improved humidification, comfort and noise reduction. Cathay Pacific has one of the youngest long-haul fleets around (5.9 years as of 2018) and began rolling out service on the quiet, efficient A350-1000 in July 2018.

It’s also strategic to schedule daytime arrivals for that natural jolt of light and vitamin D. Light tells our bodies when to make melatonin at night and cortisol in the morning, and our other organs chime in with this schedule, so when light exposure takes a U-turn, confusion – and jetlag – sets in. ‘When your internal clock doesn’t match the external clock, it can be, and feel, like World War III in your body,’ says Dr Michael Breus, aka ‘The Sleep Doctor.’

He suggests making a point to rest up before a trip and adjust incrementally to your new time zone. When flying west, wake up and go to sleep an hour earlier each day for three days; if flying east, an hour later each day. Download apps like Timeshifter, which handily takes over the calculations of when to wake, get out into light, or retreat to nap and sleep.

Once onboard, reset your watch and take your eating and sleeping cues from your new time zone. Bring out a ‘sleep kit’ you’ve packed in your carry-on, with ear plugs, eye mask and neck pillow, plus toothbrush and paste to simulate bedtime.

If you arrive during the day, get out into the sun and exercise to help your internal clock synchronise faster. If you land in the evening, keep away from bright lights and, should sleep evade you, try a bit more meditation. ‘It can help bring calm to the body and mind,’ says Dr Adrian Williams, Professor of Sleep Medicine, King’s College, London. ‘Conversely, when sleepiness invades, it helps you with the mindful acceptance that it will pass.’

Lastly, don’t underestimate the value of naps. They can increase your creativity, concentration, decision making, memory, mood and reduce stress; the secret is to time them well. It’s our biology – not just a heavy lunch – that slows the body down in the middle of the day. This is the perfect time for a power nap, roughly seven hours after waking (and seven hours before sleeping). Choose either less than 25 minutes to avoid interrupting deep sleep with the resulting grogginess, or go for a full 90-minute cycle.