ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — There’s so many things to love about traveling. However, traveling to a new city, especially one that is in a different time zone, can wreak havoc on your sleep.
John Burns, PhD, at Rush University, told Ivanhoe, “In Paris, my watch is telling me it is 8am, but my circadian clock is telling me it is midnight. So that can screw things up.”
In a recent study, they found that one side of the brain stays awake to act like a “watch dog” to alert us to any potential dangers in new places. With 68 percent of Americans reporting that they have a hard time getting a good night’s rest already, what can you do to make the most of your nights away from home? First, gradually adjust your sleep and wake times to your destination’s time zone. Go to bed at least an hour earlier a few nights before your trip. Then stay awake until 11pm the first day at your destination. This will help your biological clock adjust. Some other tips: avoid too much caffeine and alcohol. Also, if white noise usually helps you fall asleep, turn on the fan or the AC unit. Also bring some personal items. Having your own pillow that you are used to can make you feel more comfortable in a place that is unfamiliar.
People traveling eastward tend to have more sleep problems because it’s harder to advance your sleep time than to delay it. So remember your best defense is to adapt your routine to your destination’s time zone as soon as possible.
Contributors to this news report include: Milvionne Chery, Producer; Angela Clooney, Videographer and Editor.
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