Road trips in an RV rental can be incredible. You get to visit your favorite destinations, travel with friends or family, and are able to see many wonderful things about your country. As you travel, you may discover little things about the trip that you may not have realized would happen.
For example, when you travel across country in an RV rental, you may find that the different time zones are throwing you off. You may not have realized this would happen and it could make it hard for you to get the best out of your road trip.
Traveling can be one of the most enjoyable experiences, but it does require planning and preparation for it to be a success. If you are preparing for a long road trip that will cover different time zones, consider the following tips, so that you have an enjoyable, and not so tiring, road trip:
- Take it easy. Yes, you’re going on a road trip and need to cover so many hours in a day, but if you have time to play with, consider taking it slow some days—especially when you start out. Rushing frantically before getting out on the road is only going to frazzle you more and tire you out. Keep it calm and it will be easier to deal with stress along the way. This doesn’t only go for the night before the trip, but during it as well. Why not try a little bit of meditation before each trip, so you can have a calm and enjoyable drive to your next destination?
- Get a good night of sleep. Sleep is important for helping your body adjust to time zones. Try to maintain a good sleep schedule and get the hours of sleep that you normally do. For example, if you have a tight schedule of 7 hours a night, maintain your sleep rhythm as you go. You could always just stay on your sleep schedule from back home, but if you want to adjust well, try to slowly change your schedule to the new time zone. While it isn’t always necessary, if you find that you’re having a hard time getting to sleep during your trip, consider taking natural remedies or even sleeping pills. Just be careful with the type that you take, as some can cause you to feel drowsy the next day.
- Make sure to get exercise along the way. Exercise can do a lot for you, especially if you’re having a hard time combatting sleepiness as you go. Whether you do some as a break during a long day or you set aside time during your visits to go for a run, it’s going to do a lot to help your body feel better. Try not to exercise at a time when you’d typically be sleeping, but do try to fit it into your day.
- If there is a big time difference from your home and destination, get some sunlight. It’s important to spend some time in the daylight during the day to help your body adjust to the regulating of your body clock. If you’ve traveled a long distance and have a very different schedule in your new destination, you’ll notice that your body may feel like it’s a certain time of the day, when it’s actually another. Getting your body used to the sun and the time change will help you to adapt much easier.
- Take care of your child’s sleep schedule during the trip. It can be difficult to travel with children while changing time zones. You may find them having a hard time getting to sleep at night which can affect your sleep as well. Try to get them to take their nap during their scheduled time, even if they don’t seem tired. It may be challenging, but helping to regulate their sleep patterns will go far in helping you to take care of yours.
The good news is that traveling across country in a vehicle gives you time to adjust much easier than if you were to fly from one continent to another. The jet lag that one gets after a flight is nothing compared to needing to adjust to differing time zones.
With that being said, it’s important to take your time to adjust to the changes and adapt your schedule. Don’t be too worried about it, but do make sure that you try the tips above so that you can enjoy your trip and not be sluggish or tired throughout it.
Traveling around your country in an RV rental can be a fun experience and when you’re feeling good, it’s even better. That’s why it’s important to make sure that your body feels right and that you get used to the time changes.
