Flight to Australia. Jet lag etc.

[ThreeBeanChilli]

We're flying to Australia for 2 weeks with kids 15 and 12. We've not really travelled much with them at all but visiting friends and relatives (we last went 10 years ago when they were quite small).

Any hints and tips for the flight or around jet lag (either going to Australia or returning).

My sleep is... interesting and I do struggle to stay asleep often so a bit worried I'll be quote affected by jetlag.

It has to be an easier flight than it was with a 5 and 2 year old right!?

Also were all likely neurodivergent (1 diagnosed so far) and although all reasonably clever may find it a bit overwhelming.

I'd like to prep the kids to manage the plane journey of 1000 years as well!

Take a look at the Timeshifter app. Your first journey is free. You plug in whether you are an early bird or night owl and it sets a schedule for you over a couple of days.

I find the best thing to do is just not to look at your watch or the seat back time display at all during the flight. We have noise cancelling headphones which make a huge difference too. I sit back and just go with the flow rather than stress about the journey time and take plenty of distractions. It’s never as bad as you think it’s going to be.

What time are you landing in Australia? If you're on the 6am flight, then stay awake UK to Dubai/Singapore/wherever and then sleep from there to Aus. You'll push through the day (it will be hard, but ok) and then head to bed about 6pm. Feel much better come morning!

I immigrated to Nz 7 years ago and take around 8 flights a year back to the UK.

There are NO redeeming features of a 24 hour flight. None. My advice is to try to sleep when you can. If the kids are decent plane sleepers try to accustom them to destination time zones as soon as you get on the flight. That depends on where you transit through of course but could mean keeping them awake for the first leg if you are going east through Dubai or Singapore.

The really key thing is when you get there that you keep everyone awake until a decent/earlyish 'going to bed time' on local hours. So no naps on arrival even if you arrive early morning. Get on with your day. That usually sorts it for me with no issues (and all our visitors from UK to NZ) but you will wake at 3 am for a few nights believe me.

Ultra long haul is easier to deal with IMO than eg east or west coast US as you are so exhausted and have missed a nights sleep at least. I've usually been totally fine the next day. The mistake people make is having the nap in local time daytime. Disaster

@YeahNahWhal said exactly what I said but much more succinctly!

I take reasonably healthy snacks -not junk, then am not obliged to wake up and eat at designated meal times and I don’t eat three course meal if it’s actually just going to keep me awake. Watching movies passes the time . Drink water.
don’t take snacks into Aus if not allowed eg fruit.

Don't plan anything for the first few days. I do the Lon > Perth once a year and I feel like I've been run over for the first three days! We landed NYD and I'm only just starting to feel better.

We leave on an evening uk time, 6 hours in Singapore (would like to look around the airport/the new jewel bit so need some energy for this) and arrive morning in melbourne (10am ish I think from memory). Flying home similar hours but we aren't stopping for so long in Singapore.

I'm a bit worried about the "not doing anything for a few days" as only in Melbourne for 5 days before moving on.... but as I struggle from fatigue anyway maybe I'll have to!? I do wish we could have gone for longer!

Nonsense about not doing anything for the first three days! Who said that? Keep to local
Time when you get there and no naps when you get off the plane and you'll be fully functional from the next day.

That's probably just you. Or because London to Perth is a mere 16 hours compared to 22 to Melbs or 27 to AKL. Shorter flights are oddly more difficult to manage jet lag wise

In over 40 return flights LON-SYD or AKL I've been quite functional the next day using the 'no nap and keep local time on arrival' rule. As have all our visitors including toddlers, teens and 80 year olds. Arrival day is damn hard work staying awake until a reasonable hour tho.

Suggesting the OP do nothing for 3 days during a holiday is a luxury very few can afford!

Interesting thread op! Apologies for jumping on but I just wondered what the jet lag is like coming back, is it better east to west, as they say? Or do you just do the same things in reverse? Thanks!

When it's a flight that length the same rules apply. Same impact (ie minimal when you keep the no nap rule) both ways

I've done this many times - agree with pp's advice. If you're arriving around 10am, stay up at least until after dinner but ideally until an early but normal-ish bedtime.

Caffeine if you need it during the day, and melatonin at night. You should be exhausted and sleep like logs that first night - but even if you don't, set an alarm to get up regular time, get out in the sunshine and do stuff.

You'll be tired in places but it's doable, just keep stuffing in the beautiful coffee that Melbourne is famous for!

For the actual flight - neck pillow, cosy clothes, eye mask, noise cancelling headphones, devices loaded up with whatever makes you happy. Drink loads of water, I don't feel like the airlines ever offer enough so I bring an empty bottle and fill it wherever I can once through security. Sometimes drop in a a sachet of electrolytes.

Thanks. No idea about melatonin (wasn't sure we could get that in england) .

So my second flight is 8 hours ish so could aim to sleep then but presumably won't be a solid sleep with take off/landing/food etc...

Not sure whether to "stay up" on first flight or just go with the flow. I do want some energy for looking at Singapore but its hard to get my head around!

I've never brought electrolytes... but happy to! Is that the powder you add when you've had the runs?

I'll only do flights to Australia that land in the evening now. I can't cope with the early morning arrivals and the first wasted day that feels like torture trying to keep yourself awake.

Sorry, not very helpful to you op, but as you see up thread, everyone is different, some people don't find it a problem.

Yes can see the advantage there! Ideally we'd like to have had longer in Singapore and then arrived later in Australia but 6 hours was the most we could get.

I cant imagine I'll manage not to nap... 😬. Maybe we need to try and slep on the plane but expect we'll be wired

Noise cancelling headphones are a good call. We have 2 pairs between 4 of us and they're quite expensive aren't they but may well be needed.

And a pillow?

Top tip - as you’re landing in the morning and need to make it to dinner time, only eat protein and veg during the day, then hit the carbs at dinner to knock you out. Eating anything heavy in the morning/lunchtime is going to make you feel drowsy.

Yes Superdrug do little sachets in lemon or blackcurrant in a box. Definitely worth taking some will help with headache plus refill bottle of water once cleared security. Personally I found it easier flying home then staying awake as long as possible then going to sleep. Much easier flying in from Sydney than USA for jet lag. Definitely get sunshine in Melbourne it helps the jet lag

Noise cancelling ear buds are easier to sleep nap with than headphones and cheaper. My autistic dd wears them all the time alt try loop ear plugs my DH wore the filtered ones all through the airport recently to reduce noise for sensory issues. He had clear ones in and no one notices

Curious about all those who think it's easier than flying to the US. I used to live in the Midwest and jetlag was never an issue for me there.

Go with the flow in your flights. Sleep when you can unless you are great airplane sleepers.

Melatonin cannot be purchased in the UK. It's a controlled drug and prescription only and you need to know what you are doing with it. I stupidly bought some in the US and took some on a west coast to UK flight and it was a fucking disaster. Forget about drugs.

I fly regularly to the west coast of the USA (8 hours time difference) and get no jet lag at all. I just stay awake outbound, and sleep if I can inbound (rare, I'm useless sleeping on planes) I'm heading down under soon and don't expect to sleep. The trick is find is just to sleep at the right time at your destination, and crucially to eat at the right times, even if you arent hungry. I'm a rubbish sleeper to start with which bizarrely helps

Another you can't not sleep for 24 hours on top of whatever time you fly surely?!

(I slept v little when I went with 2 small kids and was a complete wreak. I'm hoping not to repeat that...)