8 Tips To Help Babies And Toddlers Overcome Jet Lag

Oh, jet lag… that unwelcome tag-along none of us invited to our long-overdue holidays. And when kids are involved, it’s that much harder! So how do you help your little ones bounce back after a major time-zone jump? We’ve rounded up eight sanity-saving tips to get your whole crew through it.

Jet lag hits everyone differently, but parents usually muscle through it within a couple of days. Kids, on the other hand, operate on their own mysterious internal clocks — and those clocks do not care that you’ve planned the perfect family getaway. If you’re travelling long-haul with a baby or a toddler who’s never experienced a time shift this big, this might be your first round in the ring (and it’s totally normal to feel nervous!) Sassy Mama is sharing our tried-and-tested ways to help little travellers settle into a new time zone with far less chaos. From gentle routines to smart sleep cues, these strategies will help everyone adjust with (relative) ease, so your holiday memories are filled with fun, not overtired meltdowns.

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The Basics of Jet Lag

Jet lag occurs when we travel rapidly across time zones. We all know it affects sleep patterns, but it can also impact appetite and digestion and cause headaches and irritability. A recipe for disaster with little ones in tow!

Unfortunately, there’s no miracle cure (we wish). The severity will depend on your child’s age, how many time zones you’re crossing, the direction of travel, and how much sleep you get along the way. As a general rule, plan on it taking 24 hours per hour of time difference to adjust to your destination.

Young bubs are still working out the day from the night and feeding every few hours. In theory, they are the easiest to travel with (hooray!). Older children and teens have more awareness of their surroundings and coping mechanisms in place to deal with jet lag, in a similar way to mum and dad. The sleep patterns of babies and toddlers are often the cause of most stress for parents. You’ve finally got them sleeping through the night, and now you want to throw jet lag in the mix? When they at an age where your reasoning with them is futile? You must be crazy! Luckily, there are some easy things you can do to help everyone sleep better.

Get a head start on jet lag by adjusting bedtime before you leave

Depending on how long you are travelling for, you might like to start adjusting to your new time zone in advance. Change bedtime by half an hour (earlier or later, depending on whether you’re going forward or backwards in time) every few nights for a week and give yourself a head start.

Combat jet lag by practising in their port-a-cot

Kids thrive on routine. Have you ever had trouble sleeping in a hotel room simply because it’s different? Imagine what that feels like for your baby! If you are travelling with your own port-a-cot, start using it for nap time at home in the lead-up to your trip. When you travel, use the same sheets (even the same blanket if you can), make sure you’ve packed their favourite comforter or toy, and even have bubs wear the same pyjamas for the first few nights away. This way, when everything is new around them, babies will still feel the consistency of home.

Choose your flight time wisely

Day flight or overnight? That is often the question when it comes to booking air travel with kids. Some people swear by travelling overnight, kids sleep (reasonably) well on the plane, so when you arrive at your destination, you can start the day in your new time zone as best you can. The downside is that if you don’t sleep well in-flight, the first day might seem very long. If you’re not the kind of person who can function on zero sleep, get a decent night’s rest at home and prepare plenty of activities to keep your little one occupied on the plane.

Travel west

Travelling west (towards Europe from Hong Kong) is generally easier than travelling east (to North America). Unfortunately, when we’re visiting family, we don’t always get to choose the direction of travel. Whichever way you go, you’ll have to return in the opposite direction anyway, so prepare for both!

Is it worth trying to beat the jet lag?

If you are only travelling for a short time, it may be worth just taking sleep as it comes to make the transition back to your Hong Kong routine easier.

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Go with the flow

Don’t pack your arrival day with too many plans. If you arrive in the morning, you can encourage naps according to your home schedule, but remember your child’s body clock might be telling them it’s the middle of the night. Try to limit naps to two hours and if need be, sneak in one extra sleep into their day.

Get some sun

Wake your child gently, take them out in the daylight to help reset their biological clock and don’t let them lie in too long to make up for lost sleep. Ensure the whole family is staying well-hydrated, eating nutritious food and getting some physical activity in during the day.

Recreate their bedtime routine

Give your little ones all the right cues that it is time for sleep but don’t be surprised by midnight awakenings. This is perfectly understandable as your child’s body clock is telling them it’s morning! They’re also likely to feel hungry in the middle of the night as it would normally be breakfast time. Be sure to keep lights either dim or turned off completely to simulate night conditions and maybe put a quiet and safe toy (nothing too stimulating) in your toddler’s cot that they can play with until they hopefully drift back off to sleep.

Beating Jet Lag When You Return Home

We all have to come home at some point and deal with the jet lag all over again, this time in reverse! Try and get your routine back on track asap by following the same advice as above. If the afternoons are too long for grumpy toddlers, don’t be afraid to move bedtime forward for a few days and gradually work on getting back to your usual routine. Remember that the body adjusts approximately an hour of time difference per day, so prepare yourself for a week or more to reset after a long-haul trip.

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Editor’s Note: “8 Tips To Help Babies And Toddlers Overcome Jet Lag” was most recently updated by Team Sassy Mama in December 2024.