If you are traveling overseas, should you sleep on the way there or stay awake the entire time?

Question

I am from the U.S. and am going to England and France this summer. Some of my friends have told me to stay awake on the way there and sleep on the way back, and I've also been told to sleep on the way there and stay awake on the way back.

Which one is right?

Answer 1

wow the two answers befor are long.... i think i would be too excited to sleep on the way up there... and for me the trip is part of the fun... anyway thats very cool that you have a chance to go over seas.........so have a great time... tell me about your trip when you get back....

Answer 2

I travel between the US and Europe several times a year and always try to sleep as much as possible on the plane. Many flights to Europe arrive early in the morning - you'll want to stay up the full day when you get here rather than napping when you get there to acclimate to the time difference as soon as possible. You can nap on the plane on the way back, but it's generally better not to sleep all the way back since you'll arrive later in the day and may have a hard time getting to sleep at a normal hour when you're there.

Answer 3

Both could be right and wrong; all depends on how you interpret that. My suggestion is that you always sleep on the plane so that after a long flight you always arrive fresh and rested. The time difference between US and England is only 4 to 5 hours so it shouldn't be all that bad compared to if you're flying somewhere with a 10+ hour time difference. When you're flying to England, you're actually losing time so by the time the plane lands at the airport, it's your sleeping time in the US and your body will be tired if you don't sleep on the plane. It's normally long flight for you to get a very good sleep. Even if you're not sleepy, try to catch as much sleep as possible. Turn off the overhead light, put the ear plugs on unless you can fall asleep listening to some music, use a pillow and a blanket provided by the airline. Sleeping on the flight will ensure that you don't feel the jet lag much and don't feel tired and sleepy the day you arrive in England and ruin your day.

Coming back to the US, you actually gain time so you'll have a prolonged day. You may stay up on the flight but then you'll have to go to sleep very early once you get back home because your body clock will be telling you it's bed time in England. The biggest disadvantage will be that if you go to sleep early, you'll be getting up way too early, probably in the middle of night because according to your body clock it's wake up time in England. So my advice here will be to either get some sleep on the flight again or try to stay up longer and go to sleep when it's actually night at your home.

Hope this will help. Have a great and safe trip.

Answer 4

Get as much sleep as you can coming and going.  Get an MP3 and load as much Pandolfi piano music as you can.  Play the MP3 into a Bose Quiet Comfort headset.  Use one of the around neck horse-shoe cushions.  Get comfy and go to sleep.  Do not pick an aisle seat on an overseas flight.  People and the attendants will beat you up and wake you up as they walk the aisle.  You won't be able to do much else, so sleep.  Some people are discourteous of others by talking and leaving their reading lights on.  Don't be like that.  People want to sleep, so sleep.  

You might get a few hours of sleep on the plane, but you will still be tired when you get there so have a room waiting for you and go to bed and get some sleep.  Adjust your sleep schedule in steps to get on the time zone where you will be.  Start eating on the time zone as soon as you can.  That will help.  

My wife and I do a lot of travelling.  I've been to 60 countries, my wife, just a few less.  We are retired so when we get home we just let getting back on time zone happen when it happens.  Sometimes it takes us a week.  When we get home we will often go to bed at 6 PM and have breakfast at 3 AM and watch some sunrises.  It is actually kinda fun.  But we have the latitude to do it. If you have the latitude remember to tell your family and friends to hold off on the phone calls.  If you don't have the latitude like we do then do the same on the way home as on the way over.  Adjust your schedule in steps and start eating on time zone.  If possible get a daylight flight on the way home.  It helps a lot to get back on time zone.

In summary, get as much sleep on the plane as you can.  You will never get enough unless you are the kind that can sleep with a broom handle under your chin.

Have fun and enjoy the trip.  73 from the Fisherman