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del.icio.usHow to sleep well, even on vacation
Have you ever returned from vacation feeling like you desperately needed... a vacation? Me, too. So when Michael Breus called to offer advice about getting a good night's sleep while traveling -- even with kids, even at a hotel, even at Grandma's house -- I said, "Bring it on, Doc."
Breus, a clinical psychologist from Scottsdale, Ariz., wrote "Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's Four-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health" (Dutton Books, $24.95). He's been interviewed by Oprah and Rachael Ray, and is WebMD's resident sleep expert.
He's also a dad who has dealt with tired, cranky kids and knows the havoc a new time zone can wreak.
His No. 1 tip for vacationing with kiddos: Make sleep a priority.
"I know it's hard to do. I'm a sleep specialist, and it's hard for me," he said.
"Maybe you only see your family once a year, so you want to squeeze in everything you can.... But I can guarantee your vacation will go better if your child is sleeping well, because cranky children are never fun."
No kidding. More tips from the Sleep Doctor:
• If you have a choice between a relative's house or a hotel, pick the hotel. "You can control more about your child's sleep in a hotel than at Grandma's house," Breus said.
• If you must stay with friends or relatives, try to arrange a separate room for the children, so you can put them to bed at a decent hour.
• It takes time for kids to adjust to a new time zone -- normally about one day per time zone, Breus said.
When his family flies from Arizona to Atlanta for a long weekend, Breus keeps his children on West Coast time. "We end up eating dinner later and waking up later, but it works out quite well."
• Avoid red-eye flights. No one sleeps well on an airplane, and you don't want to start your trip exhausted.
• Bring your own pillows, if possible. For children, a pillow can serve as a comforting reminder of home.
• Pick your hotel room carefully. Breus suggests getting an adjoining room for the kids. Request a room on a higher floor to reduce noise, and one that faces west to avoid crack-of-dawn sunshine.
• Remember to hang the "Do Not Disturb" sign and turn the ringer off the phone to avoid early wake-ups from the housekeeping crew.
• Most importantly, get a good night's sleep before you travel. If possible, have a restful day before the trip, and don't let kids stay up too late. "Most parents don't think about this stuff until it's too late. They're at their destination and think, 'Holy cow, my kid's got to sleep,' " Breus said. "Being prepared makes a huge difference."
Reach Suzanne Perez Tobias at 316-268-6567 or stobias@wichitaeagle.com.
