East to West Coast travel is supposed to be the easiest from a recovery perspective. Our internal clocks do better with a longer day, then a shorter day. People get over jet lag quicker. Experts suggest that it takes one day per time zone to adjust traveling East, and 75 percent of a day per time zone to adjust traveling West.
I actually think the easiest time change to adjust to is the US to Europe trip. You leave in late afternoon, and arrive early in the morning. If you can sleep on the plane, you can get a full nights sleep. Our boys generally sleep well on the plane, in fact as soon as the engine turns on the ambient noise knocks my boys out. Other than being hungry for the wrong meal at the wrong time ... it usually takes me a day to adjust.
There are a couple of guidelines that Jonathan and I follow every time that we have to make a big time change adjustment:
1) Forget that you just spent 13 hours on an airplane. Don't do any calculations that will tell you what time it is at home, or what time your body thinks it is.
2) Go to bed at your regular time. Whatever you do don't nap if you don't normally nap. With little kids who still have a nap time, do it at the regular time, just make sure to wake them up ... otherwise, you'll get a wired wild child at 2 am.
3) Get outside and get some fresh air. It is my rule for everything ...but there is something wonderful about being with nature after the sardine can like experience of flying.
4) Drink plenty of fluids. I get very dehydrated on planes. Once at my destination I make sure that everyone is drinking. It helps chase away that post flight headache.
5) Don't over plan the day. It should be a mellow day. We use it as our "lay of the land" day. A chance to explore without an agenda.
If we stick to our rules, when we wake up on our first full day at our destination we feel normal, and ready to enjoy our trip.
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